Andy Kellett to Manchester United: Latest Loan Transfer Details, Reaction, More

You can be forgiven for missing Andy Kellett's loan transfer to Manchester United. Deadline day had officially ended before the agreement to sign the young Bolton defender was announced, and indeed, any lingering hopes of Louis van Gaal spending big had passed with it.

Nearly an hour after the 11 p.m. deadline on Monday, United confirmed Kellett's arrival, with Saidy Janko heading out the door on a temporary basis:

Many are likely to be unfamiliar with Kellett. He made just one 51-minute performance for Bolton—during the side's 4-2 defeat to Rotherham on Jan. 27—and had expected to head back to former club Plymouth Argyle on deadline day, as reported by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News.

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This single Bolton appearance was noted by Squawka:

"Sit down, Andy," Bolton first-team coach Garry Parker is reported as saying, per Marc Iles of The Bolton News. "We've got some good news and some bad news. You're not going back to Plymouth. You're going to Manchester United."

While it's difficult to ascertain whether this decision was taken to allow Janko to gain first-team experience elsewhere, Kellett now finds himself with an opportunity of a lifetime. The 21-year-old left-back is over two years older than Luke Shaw and is unlikely to feature in the first team during his temporary spell.

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It is perhaps the idea to scope him out for a permanent deal while making sure Janko's progression continues in the tough Championship division. However, United didn't land the strapping centre-back many fans craved, something which could come back round to haunt the club when May arrives.

Football writer Graham Ruthven poked fun at Van Gaal's failure to sign a world-class star:

Kellett is likely to become a regular feature for the United under-21 side. Fans are surely curious of his arrival, as it could turn out he's just needed as momentary cover in the reserve squad. Or just like United's capture of Sadiq El Fitouri—the inexperienced right-back from Salford City—Van Gaal may be taking a punt at minimal cost to the club.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how Kellett develops during his spell Old Trafford.