TROWBRIDGE’S Jordan Turnbull could be the final piece in Swindon Town manager Mark Cooper’s defensive masterplan for the new season after he re-signed the Southampton defender on a season-long loan.

The County Ground boss believes that he has enough options at the back with the addition of the 20-year-old, as well as the acquisition of Liverpool youth product Jordan Williams on loan earlier in the transfer window.

Trowbridge-born Turnbull, who was almost an ever-present in last season’s run to the play-off final, making 45 appearances and scoring once, was introduced straight back into the line-up to face Liverpool in a friendly last Sunday, despite the deal having only been completed on Saturday evening.

Turnbull slotted into a back four, as opposed to the back three he was more accustomed to playing in last season, as Town fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Premier League outfit.

Cooper is delighted to have the Southampton player back, saying: “I think we are okay now defensively with Jordan coming in. We possibly need another forward in my opinion.

“I think Jordan would have had a say in it - if he was going to be going to a League One club - then I think location-wise and where he is from, and obviously knowing the place, then we would have been his number one choice.

“It was something that the chairman and I were monitoring.

“The danger was that he would get a Championship club.

“I think there were one or two interested, which never came to fruition, and we were there waiting to pounce.

“He complements our good centre-backs, with Raffa (Branco) and Jordan Williams.”