New Gillingham boss Neil Harris believes Kyle Dempsey is a 'quality player' following his deadline day move to Bolton Wanderers.
Dempsey completed a transfer deadline day move to make his long awaited switch from the Kent club to Wanderers.
He has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Bolton and could make his debut for the club this Saturday on the road against Morecambe.
READ MORE: 'Appropriate' - Gillingham chairman breaks silence on Kyle Dempsey's Bolton Wanderers transfer
Harris became Gills boss earlier in the day and one of the first things the Kent club's chairman Paul Scally told the new manager was Dempsey's impending move to Wanderers.
A replacement in the form of Ben Thompson was signed earlier on in the day and Harris believes that the Gills now have a player who can star in the Championship, as well as League One.
But Harris conceded that a like for like replacement was needed at the very least for Dempsey, who he believes is a quality player.
Harris said: "Losing your club captain Kyle, and Kyle's a quality player and to lose him, you have to replace with like for like, if not better.
"Bringing Ben Thompson in, who went on loan to Portsmouth a couple of years ago and got their player of the year in the second half of the season and voted in the League One team of the year.
"He's a player I know extremely well, having come through the ranks with myself and David (Livermore) at Millwall.
"He's a class act at this level and in my opinion the Championship as well so Kyle going out, there was an opportunity to bring Ben in.
"Obviously we've got good relationships and great relationships with (chairman) John Berylson at Millwall and my close links there, we was able to facilitate getting Ben in."
