Jon Dahl Tomasson is delighted to have secured the signature of Connor O'Riordan and has called for patience with Blackburn Rovers' latest signing.

The 20-year-old centre-back has agreed a long-term deal with the club, joining from Crewe Alexandra until 2028. Rovers chased O'Riordan's signature for a while having initially seen bids rejected in the summer.

The young defender adds much-needed cover at centre-back with Hayden Carter ruled out for 11 weeks with a hamstring injury. With O'Riordan cup-tied, Dom Hyam and Scott Wharton are the only fit, senior centre-backs available for selection.

Reflecting on Rovers' third piece of transfer business, Tomasson believes O'Riordan will be an asset for years to come. Stepping up from League Two to the Championship is a big leap and he urged for fans to be patient as he adapts to a new level.

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The head coach also reiterated the importance of adding more experience to the back line with another centre-back before next week's deadline.

"It's positive Connor is here. He's a young boy who has played a lot of minutes, a lot of league minutes for his age," Tomasson said.

"He's a player with potential, someone we will start work with immediately and need to develop. He will need time to prove his quality at this level but it's very positive.

"He can be an asset for the club over time but we also need experience in that position so the club need to get that sorted.

"We need to see how he adapts to the level, the number of games this season is very good. His age, that profile is important.

"It's a different level, we can't forget that. We will try to work with him and develop him immediately. It's great to have a player in the building as well.

"He has good height, which is necessary in football, you need physical players. When a squad is put together you need the right number of heads in the team.

"You need technical players but also some with physical attributes."