Jacob Greaves enjoyed his first experience playing alongside new signing Issa Diop during Tuesday’s friendly victory over Le Havre and believes the Morocco international is a top-quality centre-half.

Greaves and Diop, who signed from Fulham for £8.5 million a fortnight ago, were on the field for the second half of the 1-0 win against the Ligue 1 team, who they helped limit to virtually nothing in front of goal.

Diop is one of seven new additions, the Blues having now spent £97.56 million this summer on those signings plus Cedric Kipre and Chuba Akpom joining the squad permanently following their loans last season.

Greaves, who moved to Town from Hull City in the summer of 2024 ahead of the previous Premier League campaign, says the new recruits are settling in well, but has been sad to see a few old teammates move on.

“It’s been really nice,” he said. “A few people going, a few faces that you don’t want to go, like Szmods [Sammie Szmodics] and I’ll miss him a little bit.

“A few other faces have gone out the door, but we’ve got quite a lot of fresh faces and fresh players. Good players as well.

“You’ve seen in the few games the quality that we’ve brought in. That’s what we’re going to need for the Premier League, you know how hard the league is. We’ve got players in who have played there before and I think that will help the lads out.”

Regarding Diop, an experienced Premier League central defender from his time with West Ham and then the Cottagers, as well as internationally with Morocco, Greaves says he has been impressed by the 29-year-old both watching him earlier in the summer and now playing alongside him.

“I watched a bit of Morocco in the World Cup and I thought Issa was really good and I think it’s a brilliant signing,” he said.

“Even in the game [against Le Havre], it was the first time I’d really played with him and he was really good to play with.

“He’s a top quality centre-half, we all know that he’s big, strong and quick. We’re going to need everyone pulling together in the right direction in the season.

“I don’t know what’s in the gaffer’s head with formations or whatever, but you obviously try and give yourself the best account. Whatever it is will be and all you can do is look after yourself.”

Greaves is yet to play in front of giant new keeper Kjell Scherpen, who signed from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise just over a week ago, also for a fee of £8.5 million, who is set to become the Premier League’s tallest ever player.

“He’s a big old boy, isn’t he?” Greaves smiled. “He’s not just tall, but wide as well! That’s what you want to see behind you. You’d rather see a big 6ft 9in goalkeeper coming out than a smaller one.

“Walts [Christian Walton] is injured at the minute, but with the season he had last season, he’ll be hoping to carry on where he left off. But we’ve brought a new keeper in as well so it will be a really good battle.

“And then you see Kayne [van Oevelen, who joined earlier in the summer from Volendam], he’s probably one of the best keepers with his feet that I’ve played with. I don’t think he had a shot to save [against Le Havre] so I don’t know too much about him shot-stopping-wise.

“The goalkeeping department is a really good one, there’s a good battle there for whoever plays and I'm sure whoever does will give good accounts of themselves.”

TWTD/Matchday Images