Paul Warne talks about Ben Purrington's transfer to Rotherham United...
New signing Ben Purrington will be a player that benefits the Millers not just now, but in years to come, says interim boss Paul Warne after the club secured his signature on Monday evening.The 20-year-old joins as the club’s fourth signing of the January transfer window following the arrivals of Richard O’Donnell, Alex Bray and Semi Ajayi and Warne expressed his delight at capturing a player he believes can make an impact at AESSEAL New York Stadium for years to come.
“He's perfect for us and he's a good fit and we're really pleased he's coming in,” he told www.themillers.co.uk.
“I've said this before, but I want to hand this team or squad over to the next manager in better form than I got it and I think he [Ben] is one of them who will be a good player for us in the next six months, 12 months, two years.
Warne continued to admit that he has been an admirer of the Plymouth Argyle left back for some time now and would have liked to have acquired his services earlier in the window.
“I've been watching him for a while and we've been trying to get it over the line for a bit,” he explained.
“It would have been ideal if it had been done a few weeks ago, but as I'm learning very quickly things take longer than you think.
“He's a really good athlete and he can get up and down the line well. He'll come in and compete with Joe [Mattock] for the left back spot but I can always play a 3-5-2, which I'd like to do.”
Purrington’s Millers switch will be his first away from Home Park, where he progressed through the academy into the senior setup but Warne is confident that his early enthusiasm about life in South Yorkshire will see him fit in well.
“He's been at one club all his life so it might take a little bit of time to settle in moving up north but he fancies the challenge,” he added.
“The lad wanted to come and I spoke to him and really liked him. I'm all about the whole process and I want people that want to come and play here. He's a really nice kid and he wants to play football and he's done that a lot."