3 players Doncaster Rovers should sign ahead of League One return – Mallik Wilks features | OneFootball

Doncaster Rovers are preparing for their return to Sky Bet League One, but have only added one new player so far this summer.

Doncaster Rovers are preparing for their return to Sky Bet League One, but have only added one new player so far this summer.

It remains early days in the transfer window, but there are a number of signings who would suit both Doncaster’s needs and the style of manager Grant McCann after the services of Robbie Gotts were already secured.

Here, we take a look at THREE that make absolute sense:

Mallik Wilks

Doncaster Rovers should re-sign forward

Mallik Wilks would be a strong signing for Rovers, looking not only to rekindle the stellar stint he had in DN4 the first time around, but doing so in a cheap way.

The former Leeds United attacker was released by Sheffield Wednesday in their retained list, and is now without a club after spending the most recent season on loan to South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United.

Wilks managed 28 goal contributions in 55 games when he last played for Rovers in 2018/19, leading the club to a play-off semi-final against Charlton Athletic.

His best work has come for McCann-managed outfits, coupling his productive season at Doncaster with a healthy spell at Hull, too.

The 26-year-old fits the ex-Peterborough United gaffer’s playing style perfectly, marrying a willingness to go alone and play selfishlessly when the chance arises with a sharp eye for goal and a clinical touch. He is the archetypal McCann wide-man, and would bolster the Rovers frontline alongside the likes of Luke Molyenux and Jordan Gibson.

Bailey Cadamarteri

He would plug a striker-shaped hole in Doncaster's squad

Through the middle, Doncaster need reinforcements too. Lincoln City loanee Rob Street impressed in the second-half of the title-winning campaign, scoring a dozen goals across 22 appearances in the fourth tier.

He helped see Rovers over the line, scoring against Bradford City in the game that secured promotion out of League Two for the club, before netting a brace on the final day as Doncaster were crowned champions.

Street, who has now returned to the Imps and is set to be included as a first-team player under Michael Skubala, has left a gap up front. And, a player who recently lined up for Lincoln could be the answer.

Sheffield Wednesday youngster Bailey Cadamarteri, son of former Doncaster loanee Danny, has heaps of potential. He never got going at Lincoln, struggling for gametime and picking up knocks.

Working with Billy Sharp, who is a legend on the other side of the Steel City divide, will no doubt improve Cadamarteri to no end.

He showed sparks of excitement and promise during his Lincoln spell, and with more consistent minutes he can reach the next level.

For Doncaster, it would be a good move too. Not only adding a youthful option alongside Sharp, who will be 40 years old before the end of the upcoming season, but also recruiting a player with upside to boost attacking ranks that are lacking a depth of League One firepower.

Thimothee Lo-Tutala

A Teddy Sharman-Lowe replacement is needed

Finally, Doncaster need to address the issues they have at the opposite end of the pitch. Loanee Teddy Sharman-Lowe did not miss a game of Rovers’ League Two winning campaign, but has now returned to his parent club Chelsea.

With Ian Lawlor also signed up for another year, Rovers need a first-choice option to step seamlessly into the shoes of their stellar Premier League loanee, who looks destined for bigger things.

A strong candidate is the man who Sharman-Lowe replaced originally, Timothee Lu-Tutala. The 22-year-old joined on loan towards the back end of the season, which saw Doncaster gatecrash the play-offs after flirting with relegation earlier in the term.

In 20 games, the Frenchman kept nine clean sheets, but he has found opportunities hard to come by in the subsequent season.

Aside from a one-game emergency loan stint at Crawley Town, where he helped the eventually relegated Red Devils to a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers, he has not played a single game of first-team football.

While he still has plenty of time left on his Hull contract, according to Transfermarkt, he could potentially be the answer to McCann’s goalkeeping worries.

A permanent signing cannot be out of the question as he is clearly surplus to requirements at his current club, and, with an impressive track record, he would slide seamlessly into the Doncaster defences ahead of their League One return.