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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
David Byrom

Bristol Rovers fans name their dream signing for this summer

Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan has promised the club will be active in the transfer window this summer.

Rovers narrowly avoided relegation this season and are now looking to strengthen during Coughlan's first summer in charge.

We have canvassed Gasheads for their opinion on how the summer should go and the results are fairly interesting.

The majority of Rovers supporters - 50.8 per cent - want five to six players signed by the club, with 33.8 per cent keen to see three to four signings, and 14.6 per cent wanting seven or more new players this summer.

In terms of positions, most respondents to our fan survey feel Rovers need to target wide players the most, with 33.2 per cent of supporters keen to see wingers signed.

Portsmouth join Nottingham Forest in the race for Tom Lockyer after Bristol Rovers exit 

Almost 30 per cent of fans feel every position needs to be strengthened, with 10.5 per cent responding that Rovers need attacking midfielders the most.

In terms of players Rovers fans want to sign - here are the most mentioned names.

Jack Bonham (Unattached)

The goalkeeper was in great form for Rovers last season on loan from Brentford. After he was released from Griffin Park, it stands to reason that Gas fans would like him back. Graham Coughlan has confirmed that they are in talks with him.

Rovers need a goalkeeper after releasing Sam Slocombe and Adam Smith, and Bonham's form last season has made him the number one choice for fans.

The only issue is competition - scouts were coming to see Bonham from fairly early on last season due to his performances, so there may well be other clubs interested.

Graham Carey (Plymouth Argyle)

Carey is out of contract at Plymouth and, whilst they have offered him a contract, interest in him is sure to be high.

Rovers definitely missed a certain creative spark in their side last season and Carey would certainly provide that, with his mercurial skill being one of Argyle's main assets in recent seasons. The last time he signed a contract, there was interest from Championship clubs - that appears to have waned a little more as Plymouth were relegated, but Coventry City are one of a number of League One clubs that have been linked.

He would be an exciting signing for Rovers and would be able to create things from nothing, having scored 49 goals in 197 appearances for Plymouth.

Darrell Clarke recruits two for Walsall in Bristol Rovers reunion 

Matty Taylor (Bristol City)

Matty Taylor of Bristol City (Ryan Hiscott/JMP)

One of Rovers fans' most hated players after his controversial 2017 move to Bristol City, but it seems some Gas fans would take him back.

As difficult as it is, if you remove emotion from the situation, his goal scoring record was exactly the sort of thing Rovers missed last season - and you would fancy him to hit it off well with Jonson Clarke-Harris.

He has struggled for regular football at Bristol City and was linked with a move away in January - but could Rovers afford his wages?

Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers)

The Gas were linked with Doidge last summer but, after his departure in December, Darrell Clarke revealed they would not have been able to afford him.

He instead earned a Championship loan move to Bolton Wanderers, which did not really work out - he scored one goal in 17 league matches before returning to Forest Green after a high-profile pay dispute. He found his form again in the second half of this season, scoring 10 goals in 20 matches.

Whether Rovers can afford him is one thing, but he is definitely a player a lot of fans want to sign.

Ellis Harrison (Ipswich Town)

Another former Rovers star mentioned by a lot of fans is Ellis Harrison.

The striker departed the Memorial Stadium for Ipswich Town last summer but the move was not really successful as he scored just once in 16 league appearances. He did not feature since February due to a back injury, and with Ipswich looking to bring in a striker in the summer, it is not clear if he has much of a future at Portman Road.

However, he was linked with Blackburn Rovers in January, meaning there may well be sufficient interest from Championship clubs to make it difficult for the Gas to re-sign him.

Bristol Rovers transfer rumours analysed: The non-league goalkeeper, Coventry City duo and an in-demand centre-back 

Other names mentioned

Jack Payne

Dom Telford

Billy Kee

Tom Eaves

James Norwood

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