NEIL Lennon has described how Andy Kellett thought his transfer deadline move to Manchester United was a wind up.

The Wanderers boss sat his young defender down at 8pm last night to break the news – with the 21-year-old expecting to be told he would be travelling for a loan spell in League Two at Plymouth Argyle.

But instead, he was instructed to pack his bags for Carrington. He was off to join the Reds, with speedy full-back Saidy Janko arriving in exchange.

“I said, ‘sorry Andy, you’re not going to Plymouth, you’re going to Man Utd,” Lennon told this morning’s press conference at the Macron Stadium.

“He surprised to say the least. He rang his dad, who had to sit down for a while to take it all in.

“Funnily enough, he had his mate with him and said, ‘bring him in.’ “This was about half 10 last night and his mate walks in with a Man United tracksuit on!

“But the deal is done and Andy will be at Carrington today.”

While the deal left Wanderers and Manchester United fans scratching their heads – and TV presenters stumped – Lennon revealed it was not a spur of the moment decision.

“We were aware of the interest last week,” he said. “I know Warren Joyce likes him a lot.

“We were looking for a bit of pace in the team and Saidy Janko was a player we have had our eye on for a while, so Phil (Gartside) got on the phone to United and they said we could have Janko, but that they would like Andy Kellett.

“It is an opportunity of a lifetime for Andy and we were never going to stand in his way, regardless of what happened with Janko.

“Thankfully, Janko is coming in, so it is a good move for us.”

“We are sorry to lose Andy, but it is a fantastic opportunity for him.”

Kellett was substituted just 51 minutes into last week’s 4-2 defeat at Rotherham United – his first start after three substitute appearances last season.

“It was a difficult game to come into after Liverpool and didn’t play as well as we had hoped,” Lennon admitted.

“But he has been in the first-team squad since he came back from Plymouth and they were very keen to take him back again, but this came up and I spoke to John Sheridan and he was totally understanding about the whole thing.”

He will spent the rest of the season with United, and is expected to work with ex-Wanderer Joyce in the Under-21 set-up.

But Lennon has not ruled out the move becoming permanent – with Janko’s contract also up in the summer.

“There may be a sell-on if either side decides to make it permanent,” he said.”