JORDAN Turnbull thinks a partnership of himself and Jack Stephens could be a great asset to Swindon Town.

Turnbull, much like Stephens at the end of last season, has impressed since coming on-loan from Southampton as part of Town’s defensive unit. The 19-year-old Wiltshire boy, from Trowbridge, looks comfortable with the ball at at his feet and not been phased by any strike force he has faced so far.

The rumours about Turnbull’s friend and fellow Southampton youth team graduate Stephens have rumbled on through pre-season and the first few weeks of the new term. An appearance on the bench in the Saint’s first game against Liverpool and again on Tuesday night against Millwall, albeit without making it on to the pitch, suggest, for now, Stephens is in Ronald Koeman’s plans. Last week Town boss Mark Cooper even admitted the club were going to start looking at other targets.

Though the injury and suspension mini-crisis created by Tuesday’s League Cup defeat to Brighton could force Swindon’s hand and after that game Turnbull said he thought Stephens and himself would make a great partnership.

Asked whether he would like to see Stephens join him at the County Ground he said: “Yeah, you know it’s not for me to decide. Me and Jack are great pals you know, it would make a great asset to the club.

“Of course I keep in close contact (with Southampton) they’re always asking how I’m doing. Jack especially, as he’s a great pal of mine, I was speaking to him a lot before I came here because he was here last season. He gave good account of the club and I’m really enjoying it.”