Northern Ireland goalkeeper seals permanent move to League One side Cheltenham Town

The 25-year-old spent last season on loan with Cheltenham, playing every single league game as the Robins finished 16th with Southwood keeping 16 clean sheets.

After representing England up to U20 level, Oxford-born Southwood switched international allegiance to Northern Ireland and made his debut in a friendly victory over Luxembourg last March.

He has been included in the squad for the first four UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers and sat on the bench for each of Northern Ireland’s six UEFA Nations League fixtures in 2022.

Southwood isn’t the only goalkeeper set to be on the move this summer as Conor Hazard is linked with a six-figure switch from Celtic to Championship newcomers Plymouth Argyle and current Burnley shot-stopper Bailey Peacock-Farrell has admirers in the second-tier.

"I'm buzzing to finally get it done," Southwood told the club’s website. "It's something I have wanted pretty much the whole window so I'm glad to get it done.

"It was such a good season last year, I enjoyed it and learned so much and we've got such a good group here.

"The fans were definitely a big factor. When you feel support like that, so I can't wait to get going and play in front of them again."

Southwood’s deputy at Cheltenham will be former Larne goalkeeper Jamie Pardington, who left the reigning Premiership champions earlier this summer before signing a one-year contract with the Gloucestershire club.