Sunderland completed their seventh signing of the window last night, with Glenn Loovens joining the club on a free transfer.

The experienced defender has signed a two-year deal at the Stadium of Light after leaving Sheffield Wednesday in the summer.

And, his new manager Jack Ross revealed how pleased he was to secure the defender, who he reckons will be a big influence on and off the pitch.

"When we sign a player we have to think carefully about why we’re recruiting them, and we have quite a young squad so we need players with leadership qualities and experience," he told the official site.

"Glenn has all of that in abundance, plus he’s looked after himself physically and his recent playing history is very good in terms of the amount of games he’s played."

"He’s a strong character and those qualities – in the dressing room and on the pitch – will be helpful for us this year, as it’s a long season with a lot of games."

The Verdict

It's always important to recruit good characters and Sunderland need someone with a strong mentality in the dressing room after years of failure and Loovens fits the bill.

Additionally, he is still a good player and should be able to cope with life in the third tier with ease.

All in all, it's a great signing for the Black Cats and you can understand why Ross is so pleased to have this deal finalised.

Thoughts, Sunderland fans? Let us know in the comments below.