ADAM HINSHELWOOD expects Malachi Fagan-Walcott to impress after joining York City on a season-long loan.

Hinshelwood has high hopes for the centre-back, who agreed to join York on a season-long loan deal from Sky Bet Championship side Cardiff City, with the Minstermen beating Scottish, Sky Bet League Two and other Vanarama National League clubs to the defender’s signature.

Despite the ‘pedigree’ that Fagan-Walcott arrives with, having played in the UEFA Champions League and the Sky Bet Championship, he must earn his place in the starting eleven, asserted Hinshelwood.

The boss enthused: “He’s got such a pedigree with Tottenham and Cardiff, he has come with a lot of pedigree.

“He’s a ball-playing centre-back, he adds that bit of physicality that we need. I was looking at it the other day and Ryan [Fallowfield] took a bit of a blow to his knee, which is fine now, but Darragh [O’Connor] came on and it left us a bit short defensively.

“To have that extra cover is exactly what we needed. He will come in and prove to be real competition and is a lad that will be pushing to start.

“If you add that to the squad that we have already got, we’ve probably got 20 players now, including three goalkeepers, that all think they should be starting at this level, so it’s good competition.

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“You can see that in training. Everyone is working really hard and is pushing each other because they want to start come Saturday.

“He’s a young lad still and is trying to find his way. He’ll be trying to do that with us.

“We’ve got a good squad, so you can’t guarantee anyone a start and people need to show it in training.

“At the same time, I think that we will be able to give him enough game time to develop his career.

“He’s seen something in how we play. There are a few National League and League Two clubs after him, so I’m pleased that he has decided to join us.

“Lads will want the competition and I’m sure that he will be desperate to put on that shirt as well.”

Hinshelwood also explained that City are still open for business despite adding two new faces to their squad this week, including Mo Fadera, with newly-appointed Director of Football Tony McMahon on the lookout for new additions.

“We’re constantly looking at what is out there.

“With Tony now [in his new role as Director of Football], I have passed all of my contacts over to him, but we’re constantly getting players sent through that are available.

“Premier League, Wales and Scotland are now shut for us, but this deal from the Championship downwards, we can still recruit on loan.

“I’m happy with the squad, so it’s not that we’re actively looking, but if players are getting sent our way then we would be stupid to just turn a blind eye.”