MK Dons have completed the loan signing of Aberdeen’s experienced defender Anthony Stewart.
Stewart, 30, will spend the remainder of 2022/23 campaign with the Dons and takes the Club’s fifth and final matchday loan spot while also becoming the fifth signing of the January transfer window.
Based in Milton Keynes, Stewart came through Wycombe Wanderers’ youth system and made 292 appearances for the Chairboys either side of a spell at Crewe Alexandra, winning two promotions in South Buckinghamshire.
The central defender joined Aberdeen in the summer and was appointed captain of the Dons. He made 20 appearances in the Scottish top-flight but will spend the second half of the campaign back in England with MK Dons.
"I'm delighted to be here and I am looking forward to the opportunity to showcase my ability and most importantly get the club to where they want to be," Stewart told mkdons.com.
"Having played against the Dons in the past, it was an exciting opportunity that I couldn’t miss. I am aware of the situation of the Club and I look forward to bring my experiences to the squad and help them climb back up the table to where they belong.
"When I heard about interest from my agent, it was something I had to reflect on and take into consideration. MK Dons is a big club, with lots of potential and growth, and I look forward to meeting my teammates, the management and more importantly, the fans. I am prepped and geared on for the remaining season.
"I look forward to joining the squad and playing my part to help build the structure within the team and push forward for the rest of the season and continue to climb the table."
Born in Brixton, Stewart is a product of Wycombe Wanderers, who signed his first professional contract with the Chairboys in 2011.
The centre-back made his EFL debut the following year and totalled 65 appearances across the next three seasons before spending time on loan with Crewe Alexandra during the 2014/15 campaign.
Stewart returned to Adams Park the summer of 2015 and quickly re-established himself as a regular for the Buckinghamshire outfit. He helped Wycombe win promotion from League Two in 2018, before playing a key role in their League One play-off success in 2019/20, scoring in their Play-Off Final victory over Oxford United.
He played 33 times in Wycombe’s sole Championship season, and added a further 42 games to his total last season, before making a switch to the Scottish Premiership in the summer. Appointed captain of the Dons, he has totalled 22 top-flight games for them this season.
Sporting Director Liam Sweeting said: “Anthony is a player we know a lot about from his time at Wycombe Wanderers and he is somebody we tracked throughout this window but only got to the stage, late in the day, where this deal became possible for us.
“Credit to Anthony, Aberdeen and the whole team here at MK Dons for their work to get this deal over the line, ensuring we were able to bolster our defensive line with a proven and top performer for this level.”
Head Coach Mark Jackson added: “He has vast experience at this level and has been playing regular first-team football, as a captain, in the Scottish Premier League.
“We’re delighted to have him with us and we believe he’ll be a valuable asset, both on and off the pitch, for the remainder of the season.”
Sweeting added: “We set out to improve the balance of the squad during this window, with a particular focus on adding physicality across the pitch.
"With the additions of Jonathan, Max, Paris, Sullay and, now, Anthony, we believe we have done just that and now the focus is on giving these players all the support they need to perform and achieve our goals.”
