THE signing of Lanre Oyebanjo is the final piece in the defensive jigsaw for York City manager Gary Mills.
The Histon right-back signed a two-year contract with the Minstermen and will take his place in one of the Blue Square Bet Premier’s meanest back lines.
City will have to pay the Stutes a compensation fee for the 21-year-old, who rejected a new deal at the relegated Glassworld Stadium outfit.
But Mills, whose side kept 22 clean sheets last term, was delighted to land one of the division’s most eye-catching full-backs.
“He is very highly-rated, an excellent player and one that has always impressed me over the last three years,” said the City boss, who made Oyebanjo his third signing in three days.
“I have never seen him have a bad game. It’s never easy with his quality in a struggling side and Histon are always going to struggle.
“The fans will take to him here. He’s a smashing lad – a real gentleman and intelligent too.”
Having retained goalkeeper Michael Ingham, left-back James Meredith and centre-backs David McGurk, Chris Smith and Daniel Parslow, Oyebanjo will slot into a settled and successful line-up.
Said Mills: “I take pride in my defence. You start at goalkeeper and we’ve got maybe the best in the league, then we’ve got a very good four in front of that.
“Last season we kept a lot of clean sheets and didn’t concede a lot of goals. Now we’ve got Lanre to come in and complement what we’ve already got.
“There is competition there and every one of them is capable of starting.”
After a rush of transfer activity, Mills refused to rule out further new arrivals at Bootham Crescent.
“There are two or three options I am looking at, but there is no rush,” he said.
“I always like to have the full squad in place for the start of pre-season, but you can’t rush into something because of that reason.
“I am delighted with the squad we’ve got. I haven’t had a holiday because it has been important to do my job and get the right squad in place.”
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