Bristol Rovers close in on 12th summer winger signing

12th summer signing on the brink

Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans said the club will have a new winger in the squad by Monday, marking the 12th addition to the summer transfer window. The player, who can operate on either side of the pitch, will join the club after a 5‑3 victory over Newport County, the Gas’ first three points of the 2026/27 season.

A busy summer for the Rovers

Since the start of the summer, Rovers have signed 11 players: Richie Smallwood, Kofi Balmer, Ben Purrington, Tommy Leigh (loan), Tom James, Ciarán Kelly, Bobby Kamwa, Jack Aitchison, Charlie Binns, Keenan Gough (loan) and Reiss Russell‑Denny (loan). The club has also made nine departures: Tom Lockyer, Luke Thomas, Joel Senior, Kamil Conteh, Jed Ward, Isaac Hutchinson, Josh McEachran, Luke Southwood and Taylor Moore.

“Mavericks” on the radar

Evans told reporters that the club is “well aware of two or three mavericks” they would like to bring in. He compared the potential new signing to Tommy Leigh, who arrived on deadline day last year, and said the club’s chairman is also keen on such additions. “We’re looking for good players,” Evans said, recalling the surprise signings of Smallwood, Leigh and a player referred to as “Riley Harbottle.”

Upcoming fixtures

Rovers will open the EFL Trophy against Chelsea Under‑21s at The Mem on Tuesday evening, before a trip to Crawley Town in League Two on Saturday. They will then host Colchester United on Tuesday, September 1, at 7:45 pm, with the summer transfer window deadline the same day at 11 pm.

A 5‑3 win over Newport

The 5‑3 win over Newport County was a dramatic start to the season. Evans praised the performances of Tommy Leigh and Keenan Gough, calling them “stunning.” The match gave Rovers their first points of the campaign and set the stage for the final signing.

The new winger’s arrival

Evans added that the new player “will be with us on Monday” and that the training ground may even have a new set of kit by then. He remains hopeful that the addition will strengthen the squad ahead of the busy fixture list.