LEE Bradbury revealed he had to fend off strong competition from rival clubs to finally complete his search for a right-back by signing Nathan Byrne.

The Cherries manager tasted success in his painstaking hunt for a new defender when he secured a season-long loan deal for the Tottenham Hotspur teenager.

St Albans-born Byrne, 19, had attracted the attention of other League One clubs after playing in the third flight with Brentford last season.

But Bradbury won the race for Byrne’s signature and then tipped the energetic style of the Cherries newcomer to prove a big hit at the Seward Stadium.

He told the Daily Echo: “We are really pleased to get him on board.

“He is a really well regarded full-back at Tottenham.

“We have had him watched and our chief scout really liked him. He is energy personified.

“He is very quick, very fit and a good player that will bring a lot of energy to our right side.

“He likes to run the winger back the other way but he can also defend.

“He is very similar to Adam Smith in that he wants to go forward and attack.

“He went out on loan last season and did well.

“A few other clubs in our league were looking to take him and, thankfully, we got in there just before them. It is a really good signing.”

Bradbury had been determined to find a new right-back since Smith – another Spurs loan man – left the club at the end of his temporary stay last term.

Smith, who was offered a permanent contract by Cherries earlier this summer, says he will decide on his future after featuring in the Under-20 World Cup, but he looks likely to move elsewhere.

Bradbury had also failed to finalise personal terms with Charlton Athletic’s Simon Francis after a fee had been agreed between the two clubs.

The Cherries boss admitted he had initially hoped his search for a right-back would yield a permanent signing.

But having given up on Francis and opted not to offer deals to trialists including Peter Bore, he entered the loan market and was delighted with the outcome.

Bradbury added: “Ideally, we would have liked to have signed a right-back on a permanent basis, but there are not many out there at the moment for the way we like to play.

“I didn’t just want to sign anyone for the sake of it. I would rather bring in a loan and get the person and type of player we want.”