Preston North End manager Alex Neil says the move to get Jayson Molumby signed on loan for the rest of the season was a signal of intent from the club.
The 21-year-old Irish international signed on loan for the rest of the season from Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday evening and the PNE boss says that the club acted quickly to make it happen.
“It has been a very good bit of business from us and with good players, you can’t afford to wait,” he told PNE.Com.
“It is easy for us to wait until later in the window to find out what is happening with some of the other lads, but when players like Jayson become available, you need to act and that is exactly what we have done.
“We have had to fend off a lot of other Championship clubs, but he has seen us as a really good prospect.
“He understands the dynamic of the club and what we are trying to do and it helps that he knows some of the Irish lads that we have got here as well.”
The new North End No.21 played 40 games for Millwall last season and the gaffer believes he has a lot of very good qualities.
“He has great energy, is good on the ball and is an Irish international,” he continued. “He has played at this level before for Millwall and he knows what it is about and we are delighted to get it across the line.
“He is a highly-competitive player; he gets about the pitch, is aggressive, wants to get on the ball and he will add a lot of things to the team – energy and determination.
“He is an Irish international at 21, he captained the U21s for Ireland as well, so he has leadership qualities and we are looking forward to him coming in and doing really well for us.”
And with a number of players out of contract in the summer, Alex believes that the arrival of the Seagulls midfielder is an important move.
“He will add more competition. It is well-documented the position we find ourselves with some of the players whose contracts are running out and we have needed to act.
“We are in the transfer window and we don’t know the outcome and we need to make sure we have positions covered off.
“I think this is a signal of intent from us and he is a great acquisition,” he added.