Preparations for the David Hughes era at Newport County gathered further pace as the Exiles announced the loan signing of Michael Reindorf from Cardiff City.
Reindorf, 20, will spend the duration of the 2025-26 season at Rodney Parade having broken through to first team football last season.
The London-born striker made his first team debut for the Bluebirds in a League Cup victory against Bristol Rovers in August last year, going on to make three more senior appearances for the club before joining Bristol Rovers on loan in January.
Discussing the deal, Newport boss Hughes said: "He’s a really good addition to what we already have.
"He has great energy, and a great ability to threaten space in behind.
"I’d also like to thank Cardiff City for trusting us to work with their young player and to help him develop, whilst understanding our responsibility to ensure that we deliver a successful team on a consistent basis.”
Reindorf's arrival to Newport is the latest in a string of quickfire pieces of business by the Gwent outfit.
Goalkeeper Nick Townsend has been replaced by Nik Tzanev who joined from Northampton Town while central defender Lee Jenkins arrived from Cymru Premier side Haverfordwest County.
Forward Ged Garner joined from Barrow while there has also been a new deal for veteran centre-back James Clarke - who put pen to paper on a fresh one-year contract with the club.
But one signing in particular fully demonstrated the intent of chairman Huw Jenkins and new head coach Hughes for Newport to be competitive in the upcoming campaign.
READ MORE: Newport County v Cardiff City . . . It's Back After 17 Years Away
Matt Smith left Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone to sign a two-year deal with the Exiles, and Ali Maxwell from the Not The Top 20 Pod believes the 19-cap Wales international could "completely transform" Newport's work in the middle of the park.
"A marquee signing and someone I think could be one of the most impressive signings in League Two so far this summer is Matt Smith, the Welsh international midfielder," he told Dragon Sports.
"This is a guy who should completely transform what Newport are able to do in possession.
"We know it's a team that ideally wants to play through the thirds and don't want to just pump it long at every opportunity.
"Having Smith, who is such a savvy operator, he's not just technically sound, but really smart as well, understanding when to recycle and when to punch passes forwards.
"I expect this to be a huge signing and I'm really delighted that, in this new Huw Jenkins era, with such an onus being placed on signing Welsh players, it feels like a really important moment for Newport to have a recent Wales international still very much in his prime."
Club stalwart Townsend has been the highest-profile exit so far, but Maxwell concedes there could yet be further big-name departures, with last season's top scorer Bobby Kamwa among those potentially in the frame to be sold.
"You can't have a player trading model in League Two that succeeds unless you sell players for money," added Maxwell.
"Right now the most obvious candidate is Bobby Kamwa.This is where he's going to have the most transfer value if he doesn't sign a new contract.
"This is where I would expect, given the skills that Kamwa showed in flashes last season that there will be interest from other League Two clubs higher up the food chain.
"There has to be an understanding that selling players is going to be part of Newport County's future, particularly if they're going to succeed in rebuilding this club under the new ownership."
READ MORE: David Hughes Takes Charge At Newport County As Club Clears Decks For Fresh Start
