Blues development squad members Barry Cotter and Aaron Drinan are to join GAIS on trial on Friday, the Swedish club has announced.

Gothenburg-based GAIS say they have been in contact with a number of clubs outside Sweden primarily to attract teams to a youth tournament they’re hosting in October but these discussions have led to interest from several sides - including Town - in more extensive co-operation in “both academic and A-team activities”.

The Blues are said to be keen to give young players the chance to develop in a Scandinavian league, hence the Irish duo’s trial with a view to joining the GAIS squad on loan during the autumn with the Swedish season running through the summer.

A Town coach is also joining them during their trial so the Blues can learn more about the development opportunities at GAIS, who play in the Superetten, the second tier in Sweden.

Cotter, 20, signed for Town from Limerick in January 2018 and made one start and one sub appearance for the Blues first team towards the end of 2017/18.

The right-back or central defender is contracted to Town until the end of June 2021 with the club having an option for a further season.

Irish U21 international Drinan was signed from Waterford also in January 2018 and was on the first-team bench on a number of occasions but without making his senior debut for the Blues.

The 21-year-old striker, who is also contracted to Town until the summer of 2021 with the club having an option for an additional year, has spent much of 2019 on loan back with Waterford in the League of Ireland before being recalled in mid-June.

Meanwhile, Blackburn striker Joe Nuttall, who was linked with Town earlier in the week is tipped to join Blackpool on a permanent deal. It's understood claims of Blues interest in the 22-year-old were wide of the mark.

Elsewhere, former Town striker Paul Taylor, 31, has signed for League Two Stevenage.

Photo: TWTD

speccybaz added 20:11 - Aug 1 Both seem surplus to requirements, although Cotter could have solved our RB problem if his attitude was better. Good luck to both. If they come back better players it'll have been worthwhile.
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Suffolkboy added 20:19 - Aug 1 Great new ideas from ITFC show forethought and purpose ; let's hope it works well and maybe we can see further such developments . COYB
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 20:25 - Aug 1 Good idea .
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BlueandTruesince82 added 20:36 - Aug 1 Would guess it would be a developmental loan for Cotter. Drinan looks nowhere near it so who knows. Good idea.
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TractorRoyNo1 added 20:46 - Aug 1 Matt Ckstke loan to Derby Conor Wickham loan to Stoke
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TractorRoyNo1 added 20:47 - Aug 1 CLARKE !?!?
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inghamspur added 21:01 - Aug 1 I thought Cotter was our nailed on right back for years to come when he started against Barnsley season before last. The infamous last game for MM and he inexplicably took him off 10 minutes into the 2nd half. Strange how he hasn't featured since.
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tebbo28 added 22:14 - Aug 1 Paul Taylor? I have forgot that name and that name's woe.
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Linkboy13 added 23:22 - Aug 1 Can't see either of these players making the grade .Because of the poor standard of the U23 games players performances are not judged that's why Paul Lambert is very rarely there and are rated in high intensity training games or they go out on loan.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:25 - Aug 2 I think it's good that we are making connections on the continent. Although GAIS is a club currently in the "Superettan," which is the equivalent of our Championship (i.e. second division), I'm sure there a some decent Swedish players who could make the journey in the opposite direction. GAIS have been in the Swedish Premier League ("Allsvenskan") quite a lot in the past, but they are not the leading club in Gothenburg - probably the third after the other two, both of which are in the Allsvenskan at present. (Apologies to any GAIS supporters!)

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