Villa loanee O'Reilly is 'someone we've needed' according to MK Dons boss

Aston Villa loanee Tommi O'Reilly can offer something MK Dons have in only short supply, according to Scott Lindsey.

While Dons are known to be a possession-based, the head coach admitted not many of his players are ball-carriers, instead are passers. While adding Dan Crowley, a player known to be able to dribble with the ball, Lindsey said the addition of 21-year-old O'Reilly gives him another option in attack.

"Tommi is a really exciting footballer," said Lindsey. "He likes to dribble, can play as a number 10 but he can feature anywhere across the front line really. He's comfortable on the ball, smooth, left-footed, likes to drive on and make things happen, score and create goals.

"He's someone I think we've needed. We've got passers and people who can keep possession but we haven't got that many ball carriers. He's very comfortable in possession."

Joining immediately from a loan deal at League One Shrewsbury, who currently sit in the drop zone, Lindsey hopes Dons can offer O'Reilly experience fighting at the opposite end of the table at Stadium MK.

The head coach said: "He had a very good loan spell at Shrewsbury in the division above, so he's got good minutes in League One in a struggling team. That will have been a really good experience for him, but hopefully now he can come and play in a team that is at the other end of the table.

"We had a really good meeting with him, and we're looking forward to working with him."

O'Reilly becomes another off the Villa Park production like to head to Stadium MK, following in the footsteps of the likes of Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Louie Barry and Filip Marschall in recent years.

Lindsey added: "Throughout the years, Villa have created good players. It has always been a club which has produced players, and they have always been open to sending their young players on loan to get Football League experience which helps the development."