Why Linfield went all out to sign Kieran Offord from St Mirren and how he could be 'the heir to Joel Cooper'

Offord impressed during a loan spell at Crusaders earlier this season, scoring 14 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions, and generated interest from a number of Premiership clubs, including Coleraine and Glentoran, before opting to join the Blues.

The 20-year-old’s arrival is another huge boost as David Healy’s side look to regain the Gibson Cup crown, currently holding a 19-point advantage at the summit, and Offord could be in line to make his club debut in Friday’s Irish Cup showdown against the Glens.

Looking at Offord’s attacking output, Hutchinson is confident that the Scotland youth international can progress into one of the Irish League’s top talents and could even help replace some of what Linfield will be losing this summer when talisman Joel Cooper departs for Coleraine.

"I think it's a really smart piece of business from Linfield,” he said. “He has so many similar attributes to Joel Cooper.

"When you look at Kieran Offord and his goal return, he sits fifth in the standings for goals and he's really impressive at getting shots off.

"His percentile rank is 91, which means he's in the top three or four players in the league for that.

"He is a player that gets in position to score goals but also has the ability to create goals for himself because he has a wonderful ability to dribble past players.

"He's incredibly direct, which is one of Cooper's biggest attributes. When you compare him to other strikers he's in the top three for dribbles completed, so he's a really direct player.

"You look at how Linfield will replace Cooper, I think Offord has a couple of those key attributes.

"You're never going to find a player that Linfield can buy who is as good as Joel Cooper – a player of Cooper's standard should be playing in England.

"You'll never find it, but you have Offord now who is 20 and already performing as one of the best in the Irish League.

"You're hoping in a couple of years time he will mould into the best striker in the Irish League or someone Linfield could sell on for a profit across the water...this could be a really good fit.”

After missing out on Offord, Glentoran moved quickly to sign Loughgall striker Nathaniel Ferris – moves which Hutchinson believes suits both clubs.

"It makes more sense for Linfield than it did for Glentoran (to sign Offord),” he added. “Glentoran probably thought that Offord could be one of the top players in the Irish League, but in terms of their squad at the moment, they have Jordan Jenkins and David Fisher who are in a similar mould, especially Jenkins.

"Ferris makes more sense, Tiarnan O'Connor made more sense - players with more of a physical presence that will bring something different.

"I was surprised when they went for Offord but both teams have now got what they needed.

"Linfield have got someone who could be the heir to Joel Cooper next season and Glentoran have got a great deal in getting Ferris."