Robins manager not ruling out move to sign No 2 goalkeeper
NIGEL Pearson is not ruling out bringing in an experienced goalkeeper to challenge Max O’Leary for the No 1 shirt next season but insists it’s not a priority position and a decision will be made during pre-season.
The goalkeeping department has seen notable changes throughout the campaign with club captain Dan Bentley heading to Wolves in the January transfer window having lost his place in the side to his former team-mate back in October. O’Leary, 26, pictured, has made the shirt his own with a number of consistent performances and was rewarded with a contract extension until 2026 in February. However, he hasn’t necessarily been challenged in the position. Nikita Haikin arrived as a No2 in January on a short-term deal until the end of the season but was released two months later after agreeing a threeyear contract with former club Bodo/ Glimt.
Since then, academy prospect Harvey Wiles-Richards has been back-up stopper, and while the club rate his potential highly, the 20-year-old’s competitive experience has been limited to nine National League
South games on loan with Gloucester City last season.
City also have 21-year-old ‘keeper Stefan Bajic out on loan with Ligue 2 side Valenciennes but he’s endured a difficult spell having fallen out of favour in head coach Nicolas Rabuel’s plans after failing to make the matchday squad for their last three league fixtures. When asked whether he would like to add an experienced head in goal, Pearson responded: “Well again, there would be a possible argument to say can you get a more experienced
No 2 in? There would be that type of argument. Having said that, I think Harvey has developed really nicely, Stef’s had a bit of a difficult experience over in France, I think we’re going to have to have a look at it and see in pre-season if there will be opportunities to look at those players in games to see where we feel they’ll be at, and then the decisions will be made from there.
“There is an argument to say, yes, we could look at getting a more senior No 2 but again, that sits outside of what I’ve been talking about with having a young, hungry squad. Clearly, the goalkeeping position is slightly... sometimes you need a steadier head there. It’s not a massive priority at the moment just because there are other areas that I would rather invest some of our budget towards.”
Pearson was full of praise for O’Leary’s progress and development in the team this season, particularly in the way he is able to command his area from set-pieces.