George Williams has become the latest Bristol Rovers player to leave the club on a free transfer before his contract expires with the defender joining League One Cambridge United.
Williams was signed by former Rovers boss Paul Tisdale in January on an 18-month deal, as one of only two pieces of transfer business over his short reign - the other being Joe Day arriving on loan - and made 26 appearances, including 18 under Barton.
Despite being a right-back by trade, Williams was regularly used on the right-hand side of defence by Barton, however Bristol Live understands he was told earlier this month he can look for a new club as he was no long part of the manager's plans.
Williams departs on the same day Rovers confirmed the signings of forwards Aaron Collins and Harvey Saunders on free transfers and is the fourth to be released early from his contract.
Former captain Max Ehmer and defender David Tutonda joined Gillingham last week, while striker James Daly left for Stevenage.
"It is really exciting and it is great to be here,” Williams said. "As soon as I heard there was interest from Cambridge I wanted to get it done.
"I met the manager last week and we had a really great chat - he told me about the way they like to play football and about the environment here – and I just really wanted to get started.”
It means, along with loanees returning to their patent clubs and the players not retained and leaving on free transfers, that Barton has cut 14 from last season's first-team squad.
Williams' exit also means that Barton has no senior right-backs in the first-team set-up with Josh Hare and Mark Little among those players released.
