MK Dons have signed defender Nico Lawrence, who joins the League Two club on a season-long loan from Southampton.
The 20-year-old is the Dons’ 11th signing ahead of the upcoming 2024/25 season, and he made his first team debut on Saturday during the Dons’ final pre-season friendly as they lost 1-0 to Championship side Plymouth Argyle.
The move will be Lawrence’s third loan move, having previously featured for Torquay United and then Colchester United.
Lawrence had a successful spell with Torquay, winning the Devon club’s Young Player of the Season awards prize, but his spell with Colchester last season was cut short after he suffered an ankle injury after just five games with the Essex club. The defender has recently signed a new two year contract at St Mary’s.
In his arrival interview with the MK Dons website when the deal was announced on Friday (02/08), Lawrence said he was encouraged to move to Milton Keynes after a conversation with the former Dons boss Russell Martin, who now manages the Saints and who achieved promotion to the Premier League with the South Coast club last season.
Lawrence said, “I sat down with Russell Martin for 20-30 minutes to discuss my options, and what would suit me best and help me thrive the most, and obviously it was MK!
“The style of play is something that excites me a lot, it’s similar to Southampton’s style of football, I can’t wait to kick-start and get going!”
Mike Williamson added his delight to confirm Lawrence as his latest new signing.
He said, “Nico is a highly-rated young player who had a few options this summer, so I’m delighted he’s chosen to come here and Southampton have trusted us with his continued development. He possesses the ball skills and vision required to be a real asset to our defence but also has the physicality to compete in League Two, we’re very pleased to have him.”