AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
That pretty much it. One non-HGP has to not be included in the PL squad (they could in theory hang about and just play cup games - Sidwell was in this position Jan to June last season, had he regained fitness). Expect one out to a Championship loan, or abroad, though. The three you list seem the likeliest candidates. And that is assuming Towell is well out of the reckoning too.
Regards HGP, we do have Norwood who we could name, but he’d be about 6th choice in his position, so would seem a little pointless. Guess we’ll name 24. Possibly White will cover until Burn arrives in January, he wouldn’t be named in the 25 due to age.
Only a free agent and only if we get Towell, Norwood, Normann and the injured Ahannach ( loan to USG to recover ? ) off the books.
We can’t bring anyone in on loan, there is no loan window for Premier League clubs. We could bring in a free agent but they’d have to be home grown and that’s only if Norwood is loaned out as gaps in the squad can only be filled by free agents if there are no eligible players already registered with the club (I am also assuming there are no dev squad players who are home grown and are now over 21).
I think Hughton is naming it today.
If 24 only named, a free agent can be added later, subject to criteria for including one being met.
As [MENTION=5]Turkey[/MENTION] has been correctly pointing out in recent days, Ben Barclay doesn't qualify as an U-21 player this season. He would also have to be loaned out to enable Hughton to name only a 24-man squad (although the early closing of the permanent window, while the outgoing loan window remains open, now makes things tricky - what if you plan to loan (say Barclay) out, but a deal doesn't get done; would you have to re-submit the squad with him in it? ).