[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town defender Lewis Freestone has signed a contract extension to stay with the club until the end of the 2024-25 season.

The 22-year-old signed for the Robins in August 2020 after leaving Brighton & Hove Albion.

Freestone, who plays at left wing-back and across the back three, has made 58 appearances for the League One club.

"It's in my character and nature to have a more senior role in the team," Freestone said.

"Despite my age, I think it's in my personality to be a role model and a little bit of a leader-especially to lads my age because I can always push them on."

Freestone began his career at Peterborough United and still had a year left on his current Cheltenham deal but has agreed a two-year extension

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed wing-back Will Ferry from Southampton on a two-year deal.

The 21-year-old joined Southampton in 2017 from Bury when he was a teenager.

Ferry played regularly for Southampton's B team but had not made a first-team appearance for the Premier League side.

The versatile defender spent last year on loan at Crawley Town, where he played 38 times and scored once for the League Two club.

Ferry has also represented the Republic of Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level and becomes Cheltenham's 10th signing of the summer transfer window so far.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have re-signed former Stoke City forward Christian Norton on a one-year deal.

The 21-year-old made 14 appearances for the Robins last season, after joining on a short-term loan.

The Wales under-21 player was released by Stoke this summer having played eight times for them since March 2021.

Norton began his career in Southampton's academy and featured three times for the Premier League's U21 team in the EFL Trophy.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed midfielders James Olayinka from Arsenal and Ryan Broom from Peterborough.

Olaykina, 21, has been part of Arsenal's academy since the age of seven and joins on a two-year deal.

He spent time on loan with Northampton Town in 2020, as the team won promotion from League Two.

He made 21 appearances for Southend United during a loan spell last season, scoring three goals.

Broom re-signs for Cheltenham on a one-year contract having previously spent two years with the club from 2018.

The Welshman played 86 times for the Robins during his first spell, scoring 12 goals.

The 25-year-old has appeared 17 times for Peterborough since 2020 and has spent time on loan with Burton Albion and the entirety of last season with Plymouth Argyle.

[themaclad]

Midfielder Dylan Barkers has extended his contract to stay at Cheltenham until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old, from the Netherlands, has made 14 appearances for the Robins since joining from Alvechurch in July 2021.

He has been on loan at Maidstone United in the National League this season.

Barkers told the club website: "When you get to the last month of your contract, it can play on your mind. I'm really happy to stay."

The defensive midfielder has featured three times for Cheltenham this season, including a man-of-the-match performance against Chelsea Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.

"It was a massive confidence booster, especially after not playing for so long - and for the fans to acknowledge my performance is great for me," he said.

After that game, head coach Wade Elliott said: "Dylan did well. He's a talented boy who has lots of good attributes.

"He now needs to perform like that on a consistent basis."

Barkers has also had loan spells at Leamington and Gloucester City since joining the Robins.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham have signed striker Will Goodwin from Stoke City on a two-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old joined Stoke's academy in 2021 and is yet to make a first-team appearance for the club.

He spent the first half of this season on loan at National League side Torquay United, scoring seven goals in 26 matches.

Goodwin also had a loan spell at League Two Hartlepool during 2021-22.

[themaclad]

Cheltenham Town have signed Ipswich's Elkan Baggott on loan until the end of the season after the defender was recalled from a stint at Gillingham.

The 20-year-old scored three goals in 29 games for the League Two strugglers in the first half of the campaign.

The Indonesia international becomes the League One club's second signing of the January transfer window.

"I'm ready to get going and help in the best way I can," the centre-back told the club website.

[themaclad]

League One club Cheltenham Town have signed striker Aidan Keena from Sligo Rovers for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old, who was top scorer in the Irish Premier Division in 2022 with 18 goals in 32 games, has agreed a three-year contract with the Robins.

A former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, Keena joined Rovers last January from Scottish side Falkirk.

"Aidan was our number one target of the window,"Cheltenham director of football Micky Moore told the club website.

"We've worked really hard to fight off a lot of competition, and I'm really happy we've been able to sign Aidan."

[themaclad]

Cheltenham have signed midfielder Glen Rea on loan from Championship side Luton Town for the rest of the season.

The 28-year-old has made more than 200 appearances for the Hatters since joining them in 2016.

Rea began his career with Brighton and has had spells on loan with Southend United, Woking and Wigan.

He is currently out with a knee injury and is expected to join League One Cheltenham in two weeks' time once back to full fitness.