Graeme Jones says he’s signed Peter Kioso as the permanent replacement for Jack Stacey, declaring the full back ‘one for the future’.
The 20-year-old, who joins the Hatters from National League Hartlepool United for a reported £100,000, becomes their first signing of the January transfer window.
Town signed James Bree on a season-long loan from Aston Villa in the summer, to replace Stacey, who left after a stellar two seasons to join Premier League outfit Bournemouth.
Boss Jones said of Kioso: “He’s a bit of an all-rounder, physically good, decent in the air and a strong runner – a real good one for the future. After losing Jack Stacey last summer, we were on the lookout for a permanent replacement and we are delighted to get Peter in.”
The defender played a season under former Town youth coach Tony McCool at Southern League Dunstable Town before joining Hartlepool in the summer of 2018.
He went on to make 70 appearances for the north-east outfit, scoring four goals, including one in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Yeovil.
“In the last year-and-a-half he’s played a lot of games for Hartlepool and we really believe that we’ve signed a talented young full-back,” said Jones.
Having insisted he was prioritising proven Championship experience, the manager has opted to pluck a highly-rated player out of the non-league, something that echoes his own career.
“I had the same career path,” said Jones, adding: “I went to Millwall at 16, got released at 18 and went and played Non-League football. Peter’s done exactly the same at Dunstable, then gone back into the full-time game.”
