Manager Ian Evatt believes Barrow AFC's permanent signing of Lewis Hardcastle is a statement of intent as he continues to put together his squad for the next campaign.

The Bluebirds announced yesterday that the midfielder's loan from Blackburn has become a permanent deal, meaning the Holker Street faithful will be seeing a lot more of the 20-year-old, who arrived at the Bluebirds on an initial one-month loan in early February and will now remain with the club until the end of next season.

Since then, Hardcastle has consistently impressed, giving AFC a dynamism in midfield they sometimes lacked previously, while also showing the sort of bravery in possession manager Ian Evatt wants to see from his players.

Hardcastle has made nine appearances for Barrow so far and scored his second goal for them in opening the scoring in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Harrogate.

He had previously opened his account with a sweetly-taken volley in the victory at Wrexham on March 12.

Manager said: “Lewis is an excellent young player who has come in and made a huge difference to us.

“I think we’re very lucky to have him, but it also sets a tone of what we’re trying to do here and what we’re trying to build that we can attract excellent young players like that to this football club.

“I just think that he’s going to go on and develop and be a top, top player for Barrow.”

Hardcastle had been with Blackburn’s academy since he was aged six and captained their under-23 team to the Premier League 2 Division Two title last season.

He gained his first experience of first-team football in a loan spell at Salford City in 2015 and was at League Two side Port Vale before Christmas in this campaign, where he was limited to nine appearances, but he has found much more success in the National League.

He will play his first match as a full-time Bluebird against Boreham Wood at Holker Street on Saturday.

Given how big an impression he has made over the last seven weeks, it’s not surprising to hear that there was competition to sign Hardcastle.

Evatt said: “I think Salford tried to steal him away from us at the last minute, but that’s what you get with good players.

“We managed to get in early and take him before the summer, which would have been a risk with other clubs sniffing around, which they definitely are.

“But credit to Lewis because he wants to play regular football and he’s going to get that here.

“He enjoys working with me, Peter [Atherton], Lewis [Duckmanton], the rest of the staff and he’s a great and a great character as well around the group.

“The lads have taken to him really well and they get on ever so well with him, so there are a lot of positives and hopefully it can start things off with us recruiting more and keeping the better ones over the coming weeks.”