Joey Barton believes Bristol Rovers have signed a "gem" in Elliot Anderson, with the 19-year-old making a huge impression in his first week with the club.
The midfielder signed on loan from Newcastle United on deadline day and has already been turning heads in training, with Barton saying senior players have recognised they have a fine talent in their midst.
Anderson could make his full debut for the Gas at Oldham Athletic on Tuesday after delivering an impressive cameo from the bench at Sutton United.
Rovers is only going to be a short stop on what Newcastle's coaches believe will be a long career, and Barton is delighted to have him in his squad.
"I think we’ve pulled out a gem there," the manager said. "His first day of training… Mangs (first-team coach Andy Mangan) has said it’s the best first day of training he’s ever seen in our coaching experience. Racking my brain, I don’t think he’s wrong.
"He really lit the session up on Thursday, to the point where the senior players are like ‘Whoa, we’ve got a player here’.
"I think it has put a few on notice because a young lad has come in and when you see some of the touches from Saturday, I think he’s going to be a real player.
"You see it in his cameo on Saturday, his desire to get on the ball and take it in tight spaces. It’s what he’s shown us on the training ground in the past couple of days and he’s got a confidence about him.
"I think he’s going to be a real player and we’re delighted to help him at this point in this journey and no doubt he will help us."
Barton believes Anderson is emblematic of the competition for places Rovers have in their squad, with fellow new signing Jon Nolan soon to join the shake-up when he is passed fit to play.
The manager is confident the Geordie can make an impact in both central midfield and attacking midfield.
"The luxury with him is it looks like he can play a couple of those positions, which is always how we try and play players and that was the big thing about taking him," Barton said.
"For me, I think we need a bit more time to work with him to find his best position, but what he has shown is he is a helluva player, and when you’ve got helluva on your hands, you find a way to get them in your team.
"There is competition right throughout the squad, everyone is on notice and we want that."
Anderson could pip Sam Finley and Glenn Whelan to a starting spot at Boundary Park, with the former set to return after missing the past two games with a muscle injury.
James Belshaw, Alfie Kilgour, Ryan Loft and Leon Clarke remain on the injury list for Rovers.
The Gas are six games unbeaten and are in contention for a place in the top seven, but Barton is under no illusions that Tuesday's trip to relegation-threatened Oldham will be an easy night's work for his players.
The Latics have been buoyed by John Sheridan's return to the dugout and Saturday's win over fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United took Oldham to within five points of safety with a game in hand.
"We need to keep taking care of each game as it comes," Barton concluded.
"Oldham, I know they’re fighting for their lives, but we’re a much better team than them and if we turn up and play our style of football, unfortunately for an Oldham it will be a tough night.
"But if we’re half off it and not quite at the races then they will cause us problems, so our focus is on us winning the next game, keeping our teamship going and if I’m honest, I don’t really focus too much on the opposition and what they’re about because if we get it right, we’re a tough team to stop.
"We can’t lose focus on the next job and the next job is Oldham Athletic on Tuesday night."
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