Taylor Foran completed a deadline-day loan move from Arsenal to Hartlepool United, his first experience in senior football.

Arsenal defender Taylor Foran was announced as Hartlepool United’s latest signing on deadline day, joining on loan until the end of the season.

“Your first loan spell is always a big one, and I’m excited to get started in blue and white,” Foran said. “There are some great players in this group, and I can’t wait to get involved.”

“Taylor is the sort of defender we need for the rest of this season,” Hartlepool manager Keith Curle added.

“He’s a leader, he’s a battler, and he’ll help us to keep clean sheets. We needed someone in as cover for Rollin [Menayese], and Taylor more than fits the bill.”

Rollin Menayese has been a regular starter at centre-back for Hartlepool this season, making 23 appearances so far.

But the 25-year-old defender picked up an ankle injury last week, and he’s now set to miss the rest of the season.

That gives Foran a chance to step into the team and show what he can do.

Before the loan, Foran had spent the first half of the season with the Arsenal u21s, though he’d also regularly featured in first-team training and a couple of senior friendlies.

Starting all four EFL Trophy games and featuring in 12 of Arsenal’s 14 Premier League 2 matches, the 19-year-old was a mainstay of Mehmet Ali’s u21 side.

Those performances have now earned him his first spell in senior football, and a chance to show he’s ready for the step up.

As Curle mentioned, Foran is a leader on the pitch, both in terms of the way he gets stuck in physically, and in the way he organises and encourages his teammates.

The teenager should be well-suited to the football league, which you can’t always say for youth players.

Hartlepool are 22nd in League Two, looking to avoid dropping into one of the two relegation places.