FRENCH Under-21 international Yoann Folly linked up with Paul Sturrock for the third time in his career when he joined Argyle from Sheffield Wednesday.

The 22-year-old central midfielder will wear the number eight shirt and goes straight into the Pilgrims' squad for Saturday's visit to Burnley.

Sturrock said: "It's my first full signing, so I'm very, very pleased.

"He's very athletic; very thoughtful, tactically; he's a really good mover; and he plays several positions, as well. I'm pleased to add him to the squad.

"He's played right-back for France Under-21s; he's played left-back, right-back, wide left, wide right, but he is a centre midfield player.

"He can be a passer; he can be a sitter; he can be the man supporting the front players - he has all that in his armoury to bring to the team."

The Togo-born Parisian came to England as a teenager from St Etienne nearly five years ago, when Gordon Strachan signed him for then Premiership Southampton for £250,000.

Folly failed to establish himself as a first-team regular at St Mary's and was loaned out to Nottingham Forest, Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday as Luggy had been impressed by him after taking over as Saints manager from Strachan in 2004.

His promising displays meant that he joined Wednesday on a permanent basis following the end of the season, rejecting the offer of a new contract at St Mary's.

"I brought him in and gave him his debut at Southampton," said Luggy. "He played 13 games under me and was man of the match in six of them.

"When managers changed over, he fell out of favour a bit and there were very few times after that when he played for Southampton.

"So, when I went to Sheffield Wednesday, I brought him there and he was beginning to become a fans' favourite for his performances but finished up on the periphery again when the new manager came in.

"Over the last six or seven games, he's been playing quite regularly and I was a little bit worried whether I'd be able to pick him up again."

Despite becoming an increasingly important member of the side this season, Folly handed in a transfer request to the club last week, citing concerns about his lack of first team football.

"It was a bit difficult after Paul left," admitted Yoann.

"This is a fresh start for me - a new town, an exciting challenge."

Yoann has been in England for more than four years.

"I was in the St Etienne youth team, when I got signed by Southampton," he said. "I played two games for the youth team at the end of my first season.

"When Paul was at Southampton, I played a few games. Then, after two years, I moved on to Sheffield Wednesday, with Paul again, and played a few games there. He's a good manager."

Yoann agrees with his manager's description of his abilities, and is looking forward to linking up with countrymen Romain Larrieu, Lilian Nalis, Mathias Kouo-Doumbe and Jimmy Abdou.

"I see myself as honest," he said, "maybe sometimes a bit too much.

"I like to pass the ball around, get the ball from the defenders and give the ball to the strikers.

"It's always to have a few Frenchmen in the team. It helps a lot."