RICHIE Wellens believes Swindon Town is the perfect place for Zeki Fryers to reach his potential after making the defender his third new signing of the summer.

Left-back Fryers came through the ranks at Manchester United and made six first-team appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson during the 2011-12 season.

Fryers left Old Trafford for Standard Liege in Belgium in the summer of 2012 but soon returned to England with Tottenham Hotspur and then had a stint at a third Premier League club, Crystal Palace, between 2014 and 2017, playing a total of 30 games for the two London sides.

The 26-year-old was most recently at Barnsley but made only eight appearances last season as they won promotion to the Championship and was released over the summer.

Wellens swiftly swooped to secure his services on a free transfer and is sure Town can be the place where Fryers can truly show why he was so highly rated as a youngster.

“I was aware of him years ago at Manchester United. He then moved to Belgium, then to Tottenham and then Crystal Palace,” said Wellens.

“The grounding he had at the clubs he played for at a young age is great, but he has found the opportunity to play week in, week out very difficult.

“I think this is a part of his career now where he needs to find a home. I am looking forward to him coming in and showing what a talent he is and getting him back up the league to where he belongs.

“The biggest thing for me is that I want him to come in and work hard and enjoy his football. If we can get Zeki Fryers enjoying his football, then we have got a really good asset.

“For us, it’s a very good signing. It’s a permanent deal, he’s a very good age, and now it’s up to Zeki to prove how good he is.”

Fryers will turn 27 just a month into the new season but has made fewer than 100 first-team appearances in his career.

Wellens says that low figure is due to the quality of squads he has been involved in, with the Town boss believing his new recruit will arrive at the Energy Check County Ground with a determination to get back to as high a level in the game as possible.

“He has not played many games because he has been at massive clubs. That has probably stifled his progress a little bit, but he is going to come here and get an opportunity to play every week,” said Wellens.

“He is not a player who has been at all these big clubs and is reaching 32 or 33 and there is no road back for him.

“He is 26, so we are looking to get 40 or 50 games out of him and for him to be really successful.”