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Exeter City manager Matt Taylor says he wants to refine his squad over the summer and does not expect to make wholesale changes after promotion.

The Grecians finished second in League Two and have released just a handful of experienced players this summer.

Taylor wants a goalkeeper, forwards and a left-sided player ahead of his first season as a League One manager.

"It's going to be a smaller squad next season, it's going to be more refined," Taylor told BBC Sport.

"There's going to be less young players with ourselves and we're looking to add quality to the group."

The vast core of Exeter's promotion-winning squad are contracted for next season so Taylor says he will be focusing on experience, although his budget will be constrained as the club has been forced to pay substantially more for their planned new training ground after the initial contractors pulled out of the multimillion-pound project.

"It'd be great if we could add a little bit more higher-level knowhow, whether that's League One or Championship or even higher levels," he added.

"Just the belief that they've played in those capacity stadiums, in those big atmospheres, in the higher-intensity games and higher-level games just gives us a bit more confidence in what they can produce.

"Everyone talks about this league being an incredible league with the size of the clubs and how well they're backed financially, but we've got to back ourselves as well.

"It'd be wrong for me to say we're targeting 20th place right now, it'd be wrong for me to say we're targeting the play-offs - we've got to assess the league.

"Stability's the best word to use, we want to be a stable club in League One.

"The Trust board have said that for a countless number of seasons now and that's what we're working towards.

"But stability might mean staving off a relegation battle, it might mean pushing for the play-offs, as long as we can compete consistently, that's what we're looking to do."

[themaclad]

Exeter City defenders Pierce Sweeney and Cheick Diabate have signed new deals to stay with the club until the end of the 2023-24 season.

Sweeney, 27, is in his second spell with the Grecians having re-signed last summer less than a month after leaving to join Swindon Town.

The Irish centre-back initially spent five seasons with the club from 2016.

Sweeney was a mainstay of Exeter's defence last season, playing 49 times as they won promotion to League One.

"I'm really happy to extend my stay here longer," Sweeney told the club website.

"I was due up at the end of this season but I've been rewarded. To go into a League One season after the really successful season last year, with an extra year on top as well, is really really pleasing for me."

Central defender Diabate made his first-team debut for Exeter on New Year's Day having signed for the team's academy when he was a teenager.

The 20-year-old was recalled from a loan spell at non-league Truro City and went on to feature 19 times during the second half of Exeter's League Two campaign, scoring twice.

"It feels good to get a new contract and know that I'm going to be here for another two years. I'm going into my fifth year here now, so I'm looking forward to it," Cheick said.

"At the start of last season I was on loan and wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I got given my chance and took it. I'm really happy I broke in, and I'm looking forward to more success."

[themaclad]

Exeter City defender Jonathan Grounds has signed a new one-year contract.

The 34-year-old former Middlesbrough and Birmingham City player's deal was due to expire at the end of June.

He made 22 appearances and scored two goals as Exeter won promotion after finishing second in League Two.

Grounds is the third player this week to agree a new contract after fellow defenders Pierce Sweeney and Chieck Diabate as City prepare for a first campaign in League One in a decade.

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Exeter City have signed former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Jamal Blackman on a one-year contract.

The 28-year-old is the first signing the Grecians have made since winning promotion from League One last season.

The former Chelsea youngster has had loan spells at Wycombe, Sheffield United, Leeds United, Bristol Rovers and Rotherham United.

He joined MLS side Los Angeles FC last September before moving to Huddersfield on a short-term deal in January.

Exeter have been looking for a first-choice goalkeeper all summer after Cameron Dawson returned to Sheffield Wednesday following a season-long loan last season.

"Jamal is the profile of goalkeeper we were looking for and one we had to be patient with. He has fantastic experience from the levels he has played at," Exeter manager Matt Taylor said.

"We needed a big presence and someone to take the pressure of the aerial bombardment we sometimes face as a certain type of team with a lot of young players.

"Jamal needs to play more games and get those numbers up. We're really pleased to bring him to the football club and it's a partnership that has to work both ways. We're under no illusion where Jamal wants to be in 12 months time."

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Exeter City have signed Southampton midfielder Kegs Chauke on a season-long loan.


In 2020 Kegs Chauke was part of South Africa's provisional squad for the Tokyo Olympics
South Africa-born Chauke, 19, has been on trial at Exeter over pre-season and scored in a friendly against Truro City.

His only first team appearance for Saints came in a 2-0 FA Cup win over Shrewsbury Town in January 2021, although he has played in the EFL Trophy for the Premier League club's academy side.

"Over the last few weeks it's been a chance for us to look at Kegs and Kegs to look at us, and provide some valuable feedback to Southampton about him," Taylor said.

"Within this time he showed us what he can do and we are really grateful to Southampton for the circumstances in which they've allowed the deal to go through.

"We want to develop his game and get him hardened and game ready in terms of seniority, and we've seen enough from his playing side and his character to believe he will have an impact this season."

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Exeter City have signed midfielder Rekeem Harper from fellow League One side Ipswich Town on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old played 33 games last season, 15 of which were during a loan spell at Crewe, and has featured once for the Tractor Boys this term.

Birmingham-born Harper began his career at West Bromwich Albion and signed a three-year deal with Ipswich in 2021.

"He has plenty of experience," head of recruitment Marcus Flitcroft said.

"He's a dynamic and composed midfielder that will add some real quality to us in all phases of play in the middle of the pitch."

Harper, who Ipswich have the option to recall in January, joins Jamal Blackman and Kegs Chauke as summer arrivals for Exeter.

He goes straight into the squad for the away trip to Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

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Exeter City have signed striker Harry Smith on a season-long loan from League Two club Leyton Orient.

Smith, 27, joined Orient in July 2021 and has scored 15 goals in 52 appearances for them since.

The forward began his career as a youth with Brentford, Chelsea and Gillingham and played non-league football before signing for Millwall in 2016.

Smith's previous clubs also include Swindon Town, Northampton Town, Macclesfield Town and Motherwell.

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Exeter City have signed Newcastle United midfielder Joe White on loan for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old is reunited with Exeter boss Gary Caldwell, who coached White when he worked with the Magpies' under-23s side in 2021.

He has yet to play a first-team game for Newcastle but did play 16 times for Hartlepool United during a loan spell in the second half of last season.

However, White did play in a friendly against Saudi side Al Hilal last month.

"Joe is someone I got to know when I was at Newcastle United U23s for a short period of time," Caldwell told the Exeter City website.

"Straight away I noticed he was a player of real quality, he stood out and he has wonderful dribbling skills and a wonderful left foot.

"Since then he has been on loan at Hartlepool United and has gained important first-team experience. He's now at an age and time in his career where he is really ready to impact a first team and he will be great competition for the midfield and attacking midfielders in the squad."

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Exeter City have signed Hibernian's Demetri Mitchell on a free transfer.

The 26-year-old, who can play at left-back or left wing, has agreed an 18-month contract at St James Park.

He is the second player to join the League One side this month, after Newcastle's Joe White moved to the club on loan for the rest of the season.

He links up with Exeter boss Gary Caldwell for the second time, after he coached Mitchell when he was assistant manager at Hibernian.

The former Manchester United youngster moved to Hibs from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee a year ago, but has struggled to break into the side.

He started in just one of his three appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season, and has made just 10 appearances for the club.

He was part of the Blackpool side that won the League One play-off final in 2021 and played 13 times in the Championship the following season.

The former Hearts loanee's sole appearance for Manchester United came in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on the final day of the 2016-17 season.

"He's a player I've worked with individually when he was leaving Manchester United, I did some one-to-one work with him and I know the player and the person really well," Caldwell told BBC Sport.

"I was a big part of taking him to Hibs when I was working with Shaun Maloney, when I was up in Scotland, and he's a player I think can provide great quality anywhere on the left-hand side.

"He's somebody we've been chasing for most of the window and we're delighted to get him in.

"He's had time in this league and the Championship and then he's gone up to Scotland, so he's had a lot of different experiences now that put him in a good place to really come and impact this league and provide real competition for places."

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Exeter City have signed Bolton defender Will Aimson on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old made 45 appearances for the Trotters after joining from Plymouth in June 2021, and has also had spells at Bury and Blackpool.

Aimson is the third signing of the January transfer window for the Grecians who sit 13th in League One.

"It's all happened very quickly, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to join the club," he said.

"I've got plenty of experience in this league and played a lot of games at this level so I will be looking to add that to the group as one of the older lads."