SWINDON Town manager Richie Wellens revealed Adam May had been a target for nearly a year after finally getting his man on loan this week.

May, who has agreed a season-long loan at Town, joins right-back Taylor Reid on the list of incoming summer transfers following the 21-year-old’s permanent move from Swansea on a two-year deal.

Wellens first cast eyes on the young midfielder during Town’s 3-1 defeat to Portsmouth in a behind-closed-doors friendly last season.

The Town manager said he has watched May ‘five or six times’ since and was extremely impressed with what he saw – particularly in his range of passing.

Speaking to Swindon Town’s official website, Wellens said: “He (May) is a very good footballer – really clever.

“He’s got a terrific range of passing – short or long – he’s very accurate. He gives us a different dimension.

“I didn’t think we had too many that could play those expansive passes last year.

“We wanted to overload in a certain area of the pitch to then play it quickly to the opposite side with precision and pace on the pass, so we could stretch the opposition. I think Adam will help with that.

“I’ve seen him five or six times myself and Noel Hunt speaks very highly of him from when he was at Portsmouth.

“We actually played a behind-closed-doors friendly against them and Adam was the one that really ran the game – ever since that game he was on our radar.”

So impressed with May was Wellens, the 39-year-old felt it was important to bring the midfielder in however he could, even if that meant reneging on his plan to sign loan players closer to transfer deadline day.

Calling the signing a ‘no-brainer’, Wellens is keen for the 21-year-old to forge a meaningful relationship with his new teammates during pre-season as he places a premium on squad harmony.

“Even though I wanted to do permanents, this was a no-brainer.

“We had to get this done because there were quite a few clubs lurking and we didn’t want to leave it hanging.

“I’m quite surprised that Portsmouth have let him go but it shows the quality of their squad that they can afford to do that.

“He’s a really good footballer and I’m looking forward to seeing him integrate with the squad, looking forward to the pre-season games and seeing the relationships he can form because he’s the type of player that can knit things together.

“It’s important he gets those relationships with his strikers and his full-backs and to do that quite early.”