Bristol Rovers are extremely likely to have a new signing confirmed before their trip to Chesterfield on Saturday

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

15:20, 14 Aug 2025

Bristol Rovers head coach Darrell Clarke(Image: Kieran McManus/EFL)

Bristol Rovers are extremely close to confirming their 10th signing of the summer, Darrell Clarke has revealed with the Gas boss exclaiming that he is “99 per cent confident” that the addition will be in before Saturday’s lunchtime trip to Chesterfield.

Clarke has previously gone on record to share that he would like to see another four players signed before the end of the transfer window on September 1, in the form of two midfielders and two central defenders.

Eight of Rovers’ nine signings to date this summer have now started at least one competitive match with back-up goalkeeper Brad Young the only exception.

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Speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to Chesterfield, the Gas head coach revealed: “99 per cent [sure] one is going to be done before the weekend, so that’s a positive. Hopefully we’ll get one done and then hopefully we get a few more done next week.

“Everyone’s working really hard to make sure we get that, but it’s important, and I mentioned this after the game, is that we want better players into the club. We don’t want to be putting average players into a club that becomes squad fillers for me. I’m looking for players to come in to start, to push and to get into the starting 11 because that’s what we need.”

As well as targeting four additions within the final two-and-a-half weeks of the window, Clarke has also admitted that further outgoings are possible too.

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Since the end of last season, 19 players have left the Pirates with midfielder Kofi Shaw and defender Connor Taylor the most recent departures, joining Brighton and Hove Albion and Wycombe Wanderers respectively, both for healthy fees.

On trimming the squad further, the Rovers boss said: “Yeah, listen, you’re always player trading. I think I said this in pre-season. We’ll be player trading to the last of the window for different reasons. With the way the window goes, the way one or two players need to quickly get into that…well I’d say the players that have been here before need to get quickly into that rhythm to find that, because if my gut is saying I’m not going to get that response, we’ll probably have to look at different angles.

“We’ll be player trading right to the end window, but players have [the] opportunity to come in and perform [and] change mindsets.”

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