'Everything you could want in a centre-half' - Harrogate Town swoop for Kevin Lokko

That is the view of Sulphurites assistant-manager Paul Thirlwell, who spoke to the Harrogate Advertiser after the club made the 24-year-old centre-half their fourth signing of the summer.

Having secured promotion to League Two when they beat Notts County 3-1 at Wembley in the National League play-off final earlier this month, Town have wasted little time in moving to strengthen their squad .

Boss Simon Weaver said that he wanted to add at least two defenders, and the arrival of left-footed Lokko and ex-Wrexham man Jake Lawlor means that Harrogate now boast real strength-in-depth in the centre-back positions.

And, their latest addition is "everything you could want in a centre-half", in the opinion of former Sunderland stalwart Thirlwell.

"He's a strong, powerful lad," Weaver's number two said.

"He's someone we've been aware of for a quite a while. He has stood out when he's played against us as the type of player that we want in our side in terms of his attitude and energy.

"Everyone knows that we like to play in a certain way and want defenders who are comfortable on the ball. Kevin has a great range of passing and is good in possession.

"He'll also stick his head on it to very good effect and attack the ball in both boxes.

"He's everything you could want in a centre-half. He offers everything that we'd ask for."

In addition to him ticking all of the relevant boxes in terms of his playing style and technical ability, Thirlwell revealed that Lokko's character also made him an attractive proposition.

"The fact that he was made captain at Dover speaks volumes, it tells you that he was well-thought of," he added.

"He's an intelligent lad and the type of character that we want here.

"We want to push on and try to progress again next season, we don't want to stand still, and Kevin is someone who is looking ahead in his career and looking to improve as well."

Lokko joins on the back of a productive time with National League Dover, where he was named Supporters' Player of the Season for 2019/20, having won the Players Player of the Season a year earlier.

He started his career at Norwich City where he was part of the Canaries' 2012/13 FA Youth Cup-winning side, though it was at National League Welling where Lokko would get his first taste of senior football.

He then switched Welling for Maidstone, before League Two Stevenage pounced to secure his services on a two-year-contract.

Loan spells in the National League at Dagenham & Redbridge and Dover followed, with the latter making the move permanent ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

Appointed club captain by manager Andy Hessenthaler, the left-sided centre half has been capped multiple times at England 'C' level.