Gillingham have made the signing of Southampton forward Tyreke Johnson permanent.

The Gills are understood to have agreed a deal with the player until the end of the season but no confirmation of a length has been announced.

Johnson, 22, originally moved on a loan deal but his contract at Southampton expires in the summer and he’ll now have a chance to earn a longer stay with the Gills in League 1.

His one and only Premier League appearance came for the Saints in a 3-2 win over Arsenal in December 2018. Since then he has played on loan at Woking and in America.

He was an unused substitute at the weekend after starting the previous match against Burton Albion, making his debut in a 1-0 defeat.

Making his move permanent allows the Gills to have more flexibility with their loan deals. Only five loan players can feature in a matchday squad.

The Gills currently have Olly Lee (Hearts) and Southampton pair Tommy O’Connor and Callum Slattery on loan deals for the remainder of the season. Trae Coyle and Zech Medley have returned to Arsenal while Celtic recalled Scott Robertson and Coventry pair Declan Drysdale and Josh Eccles have also returned to their parent club.

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