Brighton agree deals for three players on a busy Friday

Brighton & Hove Albion completed deals for three players on a busy Friday for the club.
Amex Stadium (Getty)Amex Stadium (Getty)
Amex Stadium (Getty)

Denmark under-23 defender Matilde Skovsen agreed a one-year contract and is set to compete in the FA Women’s Super League next season.

Albion under-23 winger Ryan Longman signed a new one-year contract, while under-23s defender Alex Cochrane agreed a new two-year deal

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Skovsen, 20, signed for a year after leaving Danish Elitedivisionen side VSK Aarhus, where she began her career.

Manager Hope Powell said, “We are delighted to welcome Matilde to the club, as she is a player that we have been tracking for some time.

“For someone so young, she has already gained plenty of experience playing at the top level in Denmark and will add to the competition for places in the defensive areas.

“I am very much looking forward to working with her throughout the season, and excited to see how much she will progress at the club.”

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Skovsen also had a spell at Paris St Germain, and was part of the Denmark squad that reached the semi-finals of the Uefa Women’s Under-19 Championship in 2018.

She becomes the second women’s team signing of the summer transfer window, after the arrival of Netherlands international Danique Kerkdijk.

Longman’s deal extends his stay at the club until July 2020. The 18-year-old has progressed up to the under-23 squad this season after an impressive campaign with the under-18s in 2018/19, where he scored 11 goals in 31 league appearances.

Under-23 coach Simon Rusk said, “Ryan has worked very hard during his time at the club, and we have been very impressed with his recent development.

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“He put in a number of good performances for the under-18s last season, and I am looking forward to seeing how he progresses with us in the under-23s set-up.

“This new contract is a reward for all of his hard work, and hopefully he can continue to push on and develop even more.”

Longman was called up to the under-23 squad on a number of occasions last season, and made nine Premier League 2 Division 1 appearances, scoring once in a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on the final day of the season.

He also featured three times in the FA Youth Cup, and found the net in a memorable 3-1 win over Manchester United in a fourth round tie.

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Cochrane, a full-back, has been retained for the side’s second top-flight campaign. Under-23s Coach Simon Rusk said, “This new deal is a reward for Alex’s consistent performances last season.

“The challenge for him now is to continue that development by working hard every day and give himself the best possible chance to keep progressing.”

Cochrane made his debut for the club back in the 2016/17 campaign, turning out 19 times for the club’s under-18 side.

He went on to make a further 20 league appearances for the team the following season, as well as coming off the bench for the under-23s in the play-off final win at Villa Park back at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.

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The 19-year-old then made 17 Premier League 2 appearances last term as Albion enjoyed an impressive first year in the top division, as well as turning out for the club in the Checkatrade Trophy away to Luton Town last September.

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