SWINDON Wildcats’ latest signing Luc Johnson could prove a key component to Aaron Nell’s side next season, according to the Link Centre chief.

Johnson has put pen to paper on a two-way contract from newly-promoted Elite League side Milton Keynes Lightning.

The 19-year-old, who captained Great Britain U20s last term, returns to Swindon, having had a brief stint with the club between 2013 and 2015, making four senior appearances.

Having played a key part in Lightning’s play-off success last season, Nell is excited to have Johnson on board.

“I talked to him at the end of last season when we played them in the play-offs and I think he is going to be a great fit for us,” explained Nell. “He is very hungry, he wants to succeed and he wants to progress.

“He is going to be a player that we are going to rely on a lot next season and I expect him to improve a lot as the season goes on.

“He is very reliable and he played a lot more towards the end of last season and he actually scored against us.

“I got to watch him a lot at the end of the season and he is very reliable, can play anywhere in the line-up, he wants to win and is a leader at his age.

“I think he feels like he has got a bit of a point to prove and he wants to succeed.”

Johnson will continue to train with Lightning alongside Wildcats’ 17-year-old Jordan Kelsall, who has signed for fellow Elite League side Nottingham Panthers, and Nell anticipates a few more similar deals and sees the club’s youth development policy as a big plus.

“We’re probably going to have four or five guys doing the same sort of thing,” he added.

“It is vitally important. Of course, it is important for us to win and compete for trophies, but it is important for us to develop young players and move them on to the next level.

“You look at Jordan Kelsall last year, we always knew what he was about but he came out of nowhere and by the end of the year, he was a very important player for us and he gets his contract with Nottingham.

“We want to keep pushing players to the next level. I know our level has changed but there is no reason why our young players can’t keep pushing on and go up to the level above.

“Sometimes it might feel tough on the Wildcats in the short term, because you are losing out on players who are going up a level, but it’s very important to keep that going.”