Glenavon confirm signing of 'one of the league’s top players' Jordan Stewart from Linfield

Stewart has struggled for minutes at Windsor Park this season through injury, only making three league appearances for David Healy’s side.

Starting his career out at Glentoran, Stewart earned a move to Swindon Town in 2015 after helping the Glens win the 2014/15 Irish Cup and 2015/16 NIFL Charity Shield.

The 27-year-old played eight times in League One for Swindon across two seasons – also making a loan move to Grimsby Town in the National League – and scored his only goal in an EFL Cup clash against Queens Park Rangers.

He arrived back in Northern Ireland in 2017, signing for Linfield, where he has played over 180 times and scored 44 goals during a run of four consecutive Danske Bank Premiership crowns for the Blues.

Stewart will now try and help Glenavon break a run of four league matches without a win and is a welcome arrival for head coach Gary Hamilton, who has subbed himself on in each of the last two games.

“Jordan has been out for a few months through injury so he’s looking to get some game time under his belt,” Hamilton told the club’s website.

“With Linfield flying at the minute it’s proving difficult for him to get that with them.

"Coming on loan with us is something that will hopefully work out well for everyone because he will add real quality to our squad.

"We actually came very close to signing him a few years ago but unfortunately it didn’t work out for us.

“He has been one of the league’s top players for number of seasons now, so I think it’s a great signing for us.”

While ‘disappointed’ to leave home club Linfield, Stewart says the move will benefit him as he aims to get a run of games.

“Obviously, it is disappointing to leave my boyhood club in the short term, but I know this loan spell will benefit me, both physically and mentally,” he told Linfield’s website.

“I appreciate the support from the manager and Willie McKeown who have afforded me the chance to get game time elsewhere which I know is exactly what I need in the short term.

“I look forward to returning to Linfield for pre season, with a renewed hunger to bring success to this great club.”

Blues boss Healy wants to see Stewart back in action and assured the attacker that he still has a future at Linfield.

“After discussions with Jordan over the last number of weeks regarding his short term future, we have concluded that he will not be afforded the game time he requires after his recent injury issues,” said Healy.

“Both Jordan and I are disappointed, but we agreed that he needs regular football to get himself back to full fitness.

“Jordan has a future at Linfield and we know he has the ability to improve our squad.

"Jordan and I are both hopeful that this loan spell will see him finish the season strongly and have him in a position to challenge for a place when he returns to Linfield.”