Starlet Arthur moves to Hull
Osborne makes switch to Stevenage while Hatters are in advanced talks with targets
FESTUS Arthur and Elliot Osborne both departed Edgeley Park this week, as two outgoings capped a busy week for The Hatters – who opened their doors for business once again following a period of furlough for the club during the Covid pandemic.
As manager Jim Gannon and company officially ‘returned to work’ this Monday, County confirmed the exits of promising youngster Arthur to Championship strugglers Hull City for an undisclosed fee, whilst Osborne joined newly relegated Stevenage, who appear to be set for life in the National League this coming season.
In confirming the double departure, The Hatters also revealed that the club are in “advanced negotiations” with a number of impending new signings, with new owner Mark Stott backing Gannon and Director of Football Simon Wilson in the transfer market.
Young defender Arthur enjoyed a breakthrough season into the County first team this past year, making his senior debut at Edgeley Park in a 2-1 win over Fylde in September – going on to make almost 40 appearances for the club, scoring twice.
Despite penning a oneyear extension during the lockdown period – an option which County took up on Arthur’s existing deal – interest continued in the Hamburg-born centre-half, with Leicester, Barnsley and eventual bidders Hull all reported to be keen.
With the Tigers knocked back on their interest in Arthur back in January, Grant McCann’s side came again this month and eventually got their man, with the 6’3” defender heading to Humberside to pen a three-year deal, with the option of a third.
County soon confirmed the deal, adding that the undisclosed fee would be accompanied by a number of “success-based clauses”.
Meanwhile, Osborne – a member of Gannon’s National League North title-winners of 2019 – officially joined relegated Stevenage at the end of his Hatters contract at the end of June.
The 24-year-old had initially been kept at County on a rolling month-tomonth contract along with a number of other out-of-contract Hatters – a move designed to allow both parties the time to explore other options.
Osborne confirmed his move to The Boro last week, adding that while leaving Edgeley Park was “one of the toughest decisions” he would ever have to make, that he did so as his “future at the club was unclear”.
Gannon personally thanked both players for their contributions to County’s recent successes via social media, with the club swiftly moving on to new targets – with the first summer signings of Mark Stott’s tenure at the club set to join over the next month.
The ambitious new owner is eager to see The Hatters secure some ‘exciting’ additions - with Devante Rodney one of the first names to inevitably be linked with a return to the club before Port Vale appeared set to secure the former Salford forward’s signature as the Express went to print, whilst another former County loanee in Connor Jennings has also been linked with a move from Tranmere.
Gannon added Salford skipper Liam Hogan and midfielder Lois Maynard to his ranks, both on twoyear deals, at the end of January following Stott’s takeover of the club, before sealing the signing of Vale striker Richie Bennett for an undisclosed fee prior to the premature end to the National League campaign.
Goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe, centre-back Ash Palmer and winger Adam Thomas are set to remain at the club with new deals, whilst box-to-box midfielder Jordan Keane and youngster Alex Curran round off the list of contracted players.