Football Rovers favourites to sign winger but facing competition
LEAGUE One Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster Rovers have entered the race to sign Barnsley winger and Bristol Rovers target Luke Thomas on loan, according to reports.
Our sister website Gloucestershire Live’s Jon Palmer, who broke the original story of the Gas’ interest in the 22-year-old, states that Donny and the Owls are keen to bring the 22-year-old to South Yorkshire this summer.
Thomas’ future at Barnsley remains uncertain having struggled for first-team minutes under head coach Valerien Ismael and spending the second half of 2020/21 on loan at Ipswich.
The former Derby County and
Cheltenham forward doesn’t fit with Ismael’s preferred style of play, with his technical skills and dribbling not lending themselves to the Frenchman’s direct approach. He therefore should be allowed to leave Oakwell for the season to play minutes elsewhere, however with Ismael a target for Championship rivals West Brom, that situation could change.
The Post understands Thomas, whose family are from the Forest of Dean, is keen for a return to the West Country, which puts Rovers in a strong position, even if they will be in League Two. But if Wednesday and Doncaster’s interest is followed by other clubs in the third tier, the England Under-20 international
may feel his best career move is to drop one division, not two.
Barton is set to bolster his attacking ranks this week with the potential arrivals of Forest Green’s Aaron
Collins and Harvey Saunders, most recently of Fleetwood.
Having made five signings so far this summer - three defenders and two midfielders - Rovers manager Joey Barton has turned his attention to the final third of the pitch which was the Gas’ weakest department in their relegation from League One.
Collins is out of contract at Forest Green having been with the Gloucestershire club for two years, scoring 11 league goals with seven assists last season having signed from Morecambe in 2019.
Although the 24-year-old’s goalscoring record in League Two isn’t particularly prolific he’s regarded as a highly-skilled forward.
Saunders is not as established as Collins having come through the non-league route and was signed by Barton in January 2019 before being loaned to Darlington. He spent the latter half of last season with Hartlepool in the National League.