Goalkeeper Adam Smith has joined Mansfield Town on a one-month loan from Premier League side Leicester City.

The 22-year-old links up the Stags following the news earlier this week that shot-stopper Dimitar Evtimov has returned to Nottingham Forest.

Smith will provide competition for contracted goalkeeper Sascha Studer.

The youngster made an immediate impact during a loan spell at Cambridge United towards the tail end of last term – making four appearances, including one in the club’s Conference Premier play-off final victory over Gateshead at Wembley Stadium, which saw Richard Money’s team return to the Football League after a nine-year exile.

Smith has also had loan spells at Nuneaton Town, for whom he featured on four occasions in 2012/13, and Stevenage, where he went for a month last season.

In more recent months, the highly-rated custodian has featured for Leicester’s development squad – notably in the Premier League’s newly-launched International Cup where he kept a clean sheet in a victory over German giants F.C. Schalke 04.

Smith is eligible to go straight into the Stags’ team for tomorrow’s Sky Bet League Two away match at local rivals Burton Albion.

Manager Adam Murray said: “Adam has good stature and an excellent shot stopper and organiser. He will come in and fight with Sascha for the number one jersey.”

He added: “I’d like to thank Leicester for the help they have given us in the last couple of days with the signings of both Callum Elder and now Adam Smith.”