Manchester United defender Reece Devine has joined Walsall on loan until the end of the season.
Matt Taylor’s side are 17th in League 2 and Devine has made the move back to England after spending the first half the campaign with St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.
Devine has shared his delight about the news with his new club’s website, saying: “I had a few good chats with the gaffer and he said very good things,” said Devine. “I am really excited to join and give my all for the team and show the fans what I can offer.
“It was a great experience for me (up in Scotland). It was my first loan spell and my first taste of men’s football and I thought I dealt well with it. Now it is time for my next opportunity; I am looking forward to it.”
Taylor added: “Reece is someone who we have been working on bringing to the club for a period of time. This isn’t his first loan which is very good for us and he is a player that I feel has the attributes to play men’s football regularly.
“He’s combative, he wants to fight, he has obviously got wonderful technical elements to his game because of his upbringing and where he has been previously as an academy player.
“The thing I like about Reece is that he was very keen on this move and he had other options on the table and he wants to come and prove himself. I can’t wait for us to work with him. I am really pleased with being able to add Reece to the squad.”
Devine was asked to define himself as a player and said he is a marauding full-back who loves getting up and making a tackle.
Those qualities should serve him well in the fourth tier, and he will hope to nail down a spot in Taylor’s side sooner rather than later.
Walsall travel to face Bristol Rovers tomorrow afternoon and it remains to be seen whether Devine is involved in that game at all.
He can play on either side of the backline and made ten appearances up in Scotland, including turning out at Ibrox, which is a big experience for any young player.
Devine also played in the Europa League against Galatasaray and will hope to bring the benefit of playing in those games to Walsall.
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