Northampton boss Keith Curle believes Scott Wharton will be worth the wait after the Rovers defender signed on a season-long loan.

The Cobblers had identified Wharton as loan option earlier in the summer but his involvement in Rovers’ early pre-season matches, and contract discussions, saw the deal not agreed until a week before the season.

Wharton, who only signed a new deal last summer, penned a new three-year deal before subsequently being loaned to the Sixfields club.

It is a fifth separate loan move for Wharton, all of which have come in League Two, following two spells with Lincoln, one with Cambridge and another with Bury where he finished last season.

The 21-year-old will be hoping for an extended run in the side this season, after a stop-start couple of years since making his Rovers debut in August 2016.

Because of his time out on loan, he hasn’t played for Rovers since an FA Cup tie against Crewe in November 2017.

But Curle sees great potential in the left-footed defender who has been given permission to feature in both the Carabao Cup and Checkatrade Trophy and is the Cobblers' 12th summer signing.

“Scott is a central defender who already has a good amount of experience,” Curle told his club’s website.

“He played his part in two promotion winning squads last season so he knows all about what is required to be successful at this level. He knows the highest of standards that are expected and needed and he is another player who will bring that winning experience in to the dressing room.

“He has a good attitude, that winning mentality that is important to us and he will fit in to the squad well.

“Scott is good in the air, he is physically strong and he is comfortable on the ball too. He is willing to put his body on the line and we think he will be a good addition to the squad. He is a natural defender, he wants to defend, he has a level of aggression that I like, he is comfortable with the ball and a good understanding of what is required.

“He is a player we identified early on, we had to wait for him because he has been involved in Blackburn’s first team squad in pre-season and went with them to Austria, but we are pleased to have been able to add him to the squad.”