Hear from head coach Paul Warne as MK Dons complete their second January signing

MK Dons boss Paul Warne hopes Jay Matete can add some midfield bite to his side after signing him from Sunderland.

The 24-year-old was on Warne’s wishlist last summer but a deal could not be agreed with the Black Cats. With the reopening of the window though, Dons got their man - the second signing in less than 24-hours after landing Huddersfield midfielder Ben Wiles.

With injuries to Will Collar and recently captain Alex Gilbey, Warne was eager to bolster his midfield this month, and feels Matete, who spent last season on loan at Bolton, fits the bill.

“He was someone we tried to sign in the summer, but the stars didn’t align,” said the head coach. “He’s a midfielder who can play in many different positions.

“I see him as a 6. We need improvement throughout the team but I think we need a bit of bite. There have been times when we’ve not had enough physical presence, a tackler in the middle who can break up and start attacks as well.

“He’s box-to-box, a really good athlete, has goals in him and has been on loan at Plymouth and Bolton. He’s a really good addition.

“Our midfield is a really competitive place, but I want a different chemistry and he will definitely bring us that.”

Sporting director Liam Sweeting added: “We need our squad to include as many attributes as possible, and Jay’s skillset and versatility will certainly help us do that.cHe can tackle, he’s a good athlete, and he carries the ball forward. He’ll be keen to come in and make an impact and I’m excited to see how he does.

“For a young player, he’s got plenty of EFL experience, in winning teams, achieving promotion twice from League One, which should help him get acclimatised quickly and help him achieve what we all want to see at MK Dons.”