Connor Taylor is close to a departure from Bristol Rovers after over 130 appearances for the Gas

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

13:00, 05 Aug 2025Updated 13:11, 05 Aug 2025

Connor Taylor pictured in action for Bristol Rovers(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)

Bristol Rovers defender Connor Taylor is nearing an exit from the club after a fee was agreed with League One club Wycombe Wanderers, Bristol Live understands, in a deal that also includes contingency fees.

The 23-year-old is expected to undertake a medical in Buckinghamshire ahead of finalising a move this week.

It is understood that Rovers will be making a healthy profit on the fee paid for Taylor to Stoke City in 2023 which was reported to have been in the region of £300,000. He had a year left on his current deal which also included the option of a further year.

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Taylor was absent from the Gas’ squad for their League Two opener against Harrogate Town on Saturday, after which head coach Darrell Clarke said that the centre-back had submitted a transfer request.

The defender has been subject to transfer speculation for the majority of the summer following Rovers’ relegation, starting when Peterborough United lodged a bid in June significantly below any valuation the club had set. Another unnamed League One club also showed interest but did not submit a formal offer.

Despite a disastrous campaign for the Gas as a club, Taylor was named their player of the season last term after making 48 appearances across all competitions. He also scored some important winning goals against Bolton Wanderers and Weston-super-Mare in the FA Cup.

The centre-back was also a regular for Rovers during their pre-season preparations and wore the captain’s armband on occasion.

Should the deal be completed, Taylor will depart the Gas after 136 competitive appearances across two spells as well as being a fan’s favourite for his contribution off the pitch as well as on it.

The defender first joined the Pirates in 2021 as a loanee from Stoke City and played an integral role in helping the club to promotion out of League Two.

Taylor then returned to Stoke and got a taste of Championship football before making a switch back to BS7 on a permanent basis in 2023.

At the time, Rovers were targeting a push towards the top end of League One with ambitions of reaching the Championship within a couple of years. Instead, they have regressed following 15th and 22nd place finishes in League One, leading to the club dropping back into the fourth tier.

Wycombe is expected to be Taylor’s destination as the Chairboys look to build on last season’s success in League One.

The Buckinghamshire outfit spent the majority of the campaign in the automatic promotion places before a late dip saw them have to settle for a fifth place finish. They were then defeated by Charlton Athletic in the play-offs.

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Bristol Live also understands that Rovers will look to bring in at least one defender this window to fill the gap left as a result of Taylor’s departure with two additions a possibility.

Director of football Ricky Martin did insist at last week’s fans’ forum as well as in an appearance on BBC Radio Bristol that funds received from player trading will be reinvested into the squad. He used the sale of Kofi Shaw as an example as the teenager’s move to Brighton and Hove Albion facilitated the deal to sign striker Fabrizio Cavegn from FC Vaduz.

Martin was on the other side of Taylor’s permanent move back to Rovers two years ago having been Stoke’s technical director at the time.

Alfie Kilgour, Taylor Moore and Clinton Mola were Rovers’ starting centre-backs for their 1-0 defeat to Harrogate last weekend while Dan Ellison and Bryant Bilongo were on the bench.

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