Charlton Athletic have completed the signing of Morecambe defender Sam Lavelle just in time, as reported by journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Football Insider reported earlier today that an agreement was in place, but stated that The Addicks were in a race against time in finalising a move before the 11pm deadline.

Lavelle, who has captained the newly-promoted League One club in their last four league games, broke through the academy system at Blackburn Rovers but was unable to feature at first-team level for the Lancashire club.

The 24-year-old then joined Bolton Wanderers ahead of the 2016/17 campaign, but once again he did not navigate his way through to first-team football with The Trotters.

Lavelle then joined Morecambe in 2017 and has since made over 150 appearances for The Shrimps, scoring six times in the process.

The centre-back played all but one of Morecambe's games during their promotion-winning season and even captained the side during their second leg semi-final tie against Tranmere Rovers.

The verdict

Lavelle is an exciting young defender, who has all the physical attributes necessary to succeed in a central defensive position.

As well as his dominant defensive abilities, he is also a composed figure in possession, bringing a calming influence to the club's back-line.

A centre-back has not been a priority at Charlton in recent weeks, but there is logic in this signing.

Not only does his arrival bolster their defensive options at present, but he is also a player who can progress with the club, as they hope to bounce back to the Championship as soon as possible.