Evans sure Lawrence will enhance Millers

The striker, 20, could debut against Championship bottom club Blackpool today after joining on a month’s loan from Premier League side Leicester City.

Lawrence got a brief taste of action in the elite last term and Evans said: “He is a gifted young man. (Leicester boss) Nigel Pearson paid over £1m for him and Ryan Giggs, when trying his level best to impress the Man U owners and get that job at the back end of last season, played him too.

“That shows how highly regarded he is. He’s not quite been able to get in Nigel Pearson’s squad, but I’ve kept asking him for the opportunity to bring him here and he’ll be a good addition.

“He can play up top as a striker, as a secondary striker, on the right or left and has great feet, great ability and is quick and strong.”

Evans also added a former United team-mate of Lawrence’s on a month’s loan from Old Trafford this week, the left-back Reece James, plus Leeds United defender Scott Wootton.

They, too, could feature today but are aged just 21 and 23 respectively with little first-team experience which begs the question as to whether they are ready for the unforgiving nature of Championship.

“This is their challenge,” said Evans. “This is a strategy the chairman and I had for the January (transfer) period so all we’ve done is bring that forward slightly.

“We had to give the players that earned promotion, and the new guys this summer, a number of games to stake a claim.

“But I made the decision I wanted to go with young, exciting, hungry, talented players rather than lads – and I’ve been offered lots – aged 33 or 34 at the back end of their career.”