Harrogate Town team news: Chelsea youth product loaned from Southampton is Kayne Ramsay replacement as right-back moves on

Derrick Abu joined on loan from Southampton until the end of the season shortly before it was announced Ramsay had joined League One Charlton Athletic for "a significant undisclosed fee".

The League Two play-off contenders will be hoping 20-year-old Abu can have the same impact Ramsay did after joining on a free transfer from the St Mary's club 18 months ago.

The attacking right-back has been a key figure for Harrogate this season, making 30 appearances, and in excellent form recently.

The Sulphurites haggled for a good price for him and had signed his replacement before he had even left.

Abu was born in Germany to Nigerian parents but is an England Under-17 international having moved to this country as a two-year-old.

He was scouted by Chelsea as an 11 year-old and signed his first professional contract there, before moving to Southampton when it expired two years later.

"It's mixed emotions for us today, we are really proud of Kayne and the development we have seen from him over the last 18 months," said manager Simon Weaver. "He will be a huge loss.

"This was an opportunity which Kayne didn't want to see pass him by and we can understand that. However, it had to be a significant fee for us to even consider allowing someone of his quality to leave.

"You never want to lose one of your best players. However, I believe in the group and the recruitment work we have completed to this point. This transfer gives us another selling point of this football club moving forward.

“We are delighted to get Derrick signed up on loan. He comes from Southampton and our recent record of players from there has been really good.

"He is an athletic full-back who can get up and down the pitch. He is an exciting player to watch, has great technical ability and speaking to him today we get the sense that he is ready to take this opportunity with both hands."

Harrogate have also signed Tom Bloxham on loan from Blackburn Rovers.