Cheltenham Town reject bid from Championship club for teenage striker Tom King
Cheltenham Town have rejected a bid from a Championship club for 18-year-old forward Tom King, Gloucestershire Live understands.
He has made four first team appearances for the club, including one substitute outing in League One at the start of last season, when he became the Robins' youngest EFL player, aged 16 and 319 days.
King became the first ever Robins player to receive an England call-up when he was named in the Under-18s squad in October 2023, winning two caps.
He signed his first professional contract in January 2024, agreeing a two-and-a-half year deal.
He scored his first senior goal in this season's EFL Trophy, going on from the bench against West Ham United Under-21s in the 64th minute and scoring six minutes later.
King was born in Gloucester and grew up in Dursley, where he still lives with his family.
The 5ft 6in striker started out in football with Cam Everside, helping them dominate their age group and claim victory in an Under-11 cup final at Whaddon Road.
He then moved to Gloucester City in the Junior Premier League but he was offered trials at Cheltenham towards the end of his Under-15s year, appearing in two matches and joining the Robins' academy ahead of Under-16s.
King is also a talented rugby player, regularly turning out for Dursley RFC at youth level as a fly-half, but this has been forced to fall by the wayside as his football progress has continued.
King comes from a sporting family: dad Chris was a semi-professional road cyclist, who raced in France and experienced elite sport.
Mum Lisa is a personal trainer and was a track sprinter, ensuring he was raised in a highly sporting environment.
Cheltenham play Chesterfield at home in League Two on Saturday afternoon (12.30pm kick-off).
