SWINDON Town have signed versatile defender Tariq Uwakwe on a permanent contract following his release by Crewe Alexandra in the summer.

Town have not revealed the length of contract, but reports from a variety of sources state the 23-year-old has penned a two-year deal with the Robins.

Uwakwe spent the past two seasons with Crewe, where he operated in a wide variety of positions and played 48 times in all competitions.

In between spells at Chelsea’s academy – where he made 90 appearances for the Blues’ Under-18s and 21s, respectively, towards the end of his 15-year spell – Uwakwe enjoyed a 21-game spell in League One with Accrington Stanley. Under John Coleman, the versatile defender scored four goals and provided four assists.

But having left Crewe in the summer upon the expiration of his contract there, Uwakwe has joined up with Town manager Michael Flynn in Wiltshire after claims he turned down potential moves to Salford City and Stevenage.

Uwakwe becomes Town's sixth signing of the season, joining Murphy Mahoney, Dan Kemp, Liam Kinsella, Jake Young, and Udoka Godwin-Malife.

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Discussing his latest signing in Friday’s pre-match press conference, Flynn said of Uwakwe: “He’s very versatile. He’s been schooled the right way.

“He came through at Chelsea and knows a couple of the boys from there like Dan Kemp and George McEachran.

“I’ve spoken to quite a lot of people about him, he can play in numerous positions, but he wants to nail down wing-back. He’s got a hell of a left foot, he’s very attack-minded, so he fits the bill.

“He’s shown a real desire to come here, and that’s the kind of player that we want. I’m glad we got him.”

Uwakwe is the third arrival of the week for Swindon after Young and Godwin-Malife were brought to the club on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

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Flynn revealed in his pre-match chat that Town could have actually signed a fourth had the player in question not changed his mind.

The Town manager said: "I did say that we were hoping for three more on Monday or Tuesday. I should have said this week.

"When we got in on Monday, one was over the line, one was 99 per cent done, and then we had a phone call to say the third one was off as the player changed his mind.

"I was nearly there, but that wasn't down to us. If it was, we would have had all three in on Monday and everything I'd have said would have been correct. But you live and learn."