Hawks sign for former England Under-19 goalkeeper Will Mannion on loan

They have swooped to bring in Cambridge United keeper Will Mannion on an initial 28-day loan due to an injury to Ross Worner.

The 23-year-old Mannion is expected to make his debut in tomorrow’s National League South home game with Slough Town.

Mannion was in the AFC Wimbledon Academy and cost Hull City £100,000 - a fee decided by a tribunal - when he joined Hull City in 2017.

The Tigers would also have had to pay another £100,000 based on appearances and up to £225,000 if he ever played for England U21s or became a full international.

As it was, Mannion only made one appearance for Hull, in a 2-0 League Cup loss at Doncaster in August 2017.

The following month he made his England Under-19 debut in a 1-1 draw against The Netherlands at Telford. Alexander-Arnold was in the starting XI, as well as striker Chris Willock - who joined QPR from Arsenal for £750,000 last year - and Everton’s Tom Davies.

In November 2017 Mannion made a single appearance on loan to Plymouth Argyle in a 2-1 EFL Trophy defeat at Yeovil Town.

He appeared in 24 National League appearances for Aldershot in 2018/19 and 17 the following season for Kidderminster Harriers in the National League North before being released by Hull in 2020.

Worner is expected to be sidelined for at least eight weeks due to a hip tear and a meniscus tear.

Ex-Baffins keeper Charlie Searle came off the bench for Worner in the first half of last Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Torquay, and played the 90 minutes in Wednesday’s memorable replay win.

Mannion is available to play in the FA Cup.