As revealed by The Mail’s Craig Hope, Dwight Gayle, Jeff Hendrick and Ciaran Clark are all training with the club’s Under-23s after returning for pre-season training.
His ‘exclusive’ reveals that all three are edging closer to Championship moves, with Eddie Howe also keen to cut down a bloated squad of over 30 players – something that’s made sessions awkward to navigate when he’s keen to take a look at a couple of youngsters.
Hope insists that there are no issues with Gayle, Hendrick or Clark – they’ve not been demoted due to bad behaviour – but have been asked to train with our Under-23s to create space and give Howe the chance to promote Elliot Anderson, Joe White and Kell Watts to senior sessions.
All three local lads look set to feature in our pre-season friendlies, even if there is an expectation they’ll then go out on loan to further their development this summer.
On the subject of loan exists, The Mail report that Gayle, Clark and Hendrick are more likely to leave on temporary deals due to their wage demands.
Watford and Birmingham are believed to be keen on Gayle, with Reading eyeing Hendrick and Sheffield United and Birmingham looking into a deal for Clark.
On incomings, the piece – like many others – says that Howe is eager to sign Moussa Diaby and Armando Broja, but doesn’t expect anyone to arrive before we leave for a pre-season camp in Austria this weekend.
