Harrison Ashby joins Swansea City on season-long loan

Harrison Ashby has joined Swansea City on a season-long loan, with the young right-back set to gain some much-needed first-team experience in South Wales.

A temporary move to a top-half Championship club always looked like a good option for Ashby this summer, and so it has come to pass, with the former West Ham United defender set to spend a season at the Swansea.com Stadium playing under Michael Duff.

The 21-year-old is behind Kieran Trippier, Javier Manquillo, and Emil Krafth in the right-back pecking order at St. James' Park, with Tino Livramento set to join that list imminently.

Despite impressing during his pre-season appearances, had Ashby stayed at Newcastle he would likely have found it very difficult to get senior minutes.

Trippier is now 32 but appeared in all 38 of our games last season and when Livramento does finalise his move to Tyneside, the Scotland Under-21 international's pathway to first-team football would be almost completely blocked.

Speaking to the Swans' official website, Ashby's new manager Duff had this to say about bringing the Milton Keynes-born defender to Wales:

“Harrison is a good player. I know Newcastle have spent a lot of money, but Dan Ashworth does not sign bad players.

I also know Kieran Trippier really well. He was really positive in terms of the character reference he gave me.

I was keen to get it done for Harrison to join me at my last club. We think he is a really good player and a powerful player.

First and foremost he is a good defender, but one who can also get in the final third and deliver good crosses too.

He wants to get out there, and play lots of games.”

Ashby could make his Swansea debut at home to Birmingham City on Saturday afternoon.

Good luck, Harrison! We're sure you'll do great down there.