Hamilton Academical youngster James McCarthy has admitted that he doesn't know where he will be playing his football next season. Town boss Roy Keane watched the Accies in action last week with McCarthy believed to be the reason for his trip.
McCarthy said after Saturday's final game of the season win at St Mirren: "I'll sit down with the gaffer and chairman and we'll talk. The fans gave me a great ovation at the end.
"Maybe they think this was my farewell game. We'll see. I don't know what's going to happen this summer. I'm just happy we stayed up and to finish in ninth position is quite unbelievable.â€Â
Hamilton have rejected a £350,000 bid from Celtic, while Swansea boss Roberto Martinez again made the trip to Scotland to watch McCarthy on Saturday. Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Blackburn, Sunderland, Portsmouth and Wolves have also been linked in recent months.
Martinez is now said to be eyeing Accies midfielder James McArthur and left-back Brian Easton in addition to McCarthy. A report in Scotland earlier this week speculated that Easton may also have been on Keane's radar, who is also being watched by Derby.
Hamilton chairman Ronnie MacDonald has turned down the opportunity for the Accies to become a feeder club for three English sides and is hopeful the trio of promising youngsters will remain at New Douglas Park next season: "I expect all three still to be at Hamilton next season. I can't categorically say that because if James McCarthy decides Barcelona is the club for him and they make us an offer, we're not about to stand in his way. But any deal will have to be right for both the player and the club."
According to one of this morning's tabloids Bristol City midfielder Marvin Elliott is a target of Town and Sunderland. Elliott, 24, came through the youth system at Millwall, for whom he appeared in the 2004 FA Cup final, before joining the Robins in 2007.
In January, the Wandsworth-born player, who can also play at right-back, was linked with a £2 million move to Wolves with a £3 million switch to the Championship winners mooted earlier this month. Portsmouth and various other sides have also been reported to have shown interest in 6ft 1in tall Elliott.
Elsewhere, former Blue George O'Callaghan is understood to have left Dundalk by mutual consent after a row with manager Sean Connor, ending a short spell with his latest club. The midfielder is now reported to be in talks with sides in Denmark and Greece.
Dundalk, who sacked defender Dave Rogers for gross misconduct on Saturday for dropping his shorts in front of opposition St Patrick's fans while celebrating a goal, are one of a number of Irish clubs to have offered Town a pre-season friendly. Ex-Town full-back Michael Synnott is now with the Lilywhites.