Defender Louie Annesley has revealed that his loan move from Blackburn Rovers to Barnet had been in the works for some time, and says he is delighted to be there.
Having joined Rovers from Lincoln Red Imps back in 2019, the 22-year-old has made just a single senior appearance for the Championship club.
That came in their 2-1 win over Bradford City in the second round of the League Cup back in August.
The Gibraltar international also had a spell in the National League with Woking last season, and is now back at that level.
It was announced on Tuesday that Annesley has now joined Barnet - where he previously had a spell at youth level - on a month-long loan deal, after which the Bees will have the option to make the move permanent.
Barnet currently sit sixth in the National League table, and it now seems as though this is a move that Annesley has been relishing for some time.
Speaking following confirmation of his move to Barnet, the Blackburn loanee was quoted by The Lancashire Telegraph as saying: “I was delighted to get it done, it’s been in the pipeline for a while. I’m really happy to be on board. I’ve been here before and having had a few chats with the gaffer it really attracted me.
“They’re doing well in the league, winning football matches, and that’s what I want to do. I’m delighted to be here.”
The Verdict
Given Annesley's impressive performance on his senior debut for Blackburn, it did feel somewhat surprising they were willing to let him make this move just a few months later.
But having done that, it does look as though this could now be a big opportunity for the defender to take his career in a different direction.
If he does impress at Barnet enough to convince them to make his move permanent, then it will likely mean he is not waiting for as long to get regular senior football, as he would do at Blackburn.
That could certainly mean there is an incentive for Annesley to perform well during his time at The Hive, and there may be a fair few Rovers followers taking a keen interest on exactly how he does there.