Bristol Rovers & Darrell Clarke need to action big Luke Thomas decision ahead of League Two campaign | OneFootball

Darrell Clarke and Luke Thomas have big decision to make on midfielder's Bristol Rovers future

Luke Thomas could well be one of the most speculated about Bristol Rovers players this summer as the 26-year-old goes into the break on the back of a disappointing season in BS7.

Thomas joined Bristol Rovers back in June 2023 on a permanent move following a successful initial spell on loan with the club. He played 28 times during the 2021-2022 League Two promotion-winning campaign and was one of a number of players to return to the club on a permanent basis following that season.

Thomas, who now only has one year remaining on his contract, found himself in and out of the starting eleven last campaign following some underwhelming performances. That said, Thomas still ranked high among the stats for Bristol Rovers last season, leaving some to question the decision to leave him out. There was considerable confusion at the time as to the reasons for his absence, with the Gas struggling to find any sort of connectivity or consistency in their attack.

Luke Thomas stats rank highly for Bristol Rovers

Thomas topped the squad stats for chances created and assists during the 2024-2025 campaign, and according to fotmob.com for the season overall, he ranked highly compared to others in his position for successful crosses, successful passes and accurate long balls.

Thomas would be the first to admit that his stats still need to be better, particularly his goalscoring. However, he is unquestionably still one of Bristol Rovers’ most prized assets and, with his contract due to expire next season, there will be temptations from the board to cash in on the midfielder while they can get a reasonable sum for him. It may be most wise, however, for all to wait until the season gets underway, with Thomas’ indifferent form last campaign likely to hold down any potential fee. Should Thomas start the season in electric form, then there will be a bigger clamour either for the Gas to cash in on a potential sale while a fee is possible, or for Thomas to be offered a new deal at Bristol Rovers.

It would be foolish of the Bristol Rovers hierarchy not to at least consider offering Thomas an extended stay at the Memorial Stadium, with the former Barnsley man likely to play a key role in the League Two campaign next season.

Decision to be made by Bristol Rovers on the future of Luke Thomas

Of course, it is set to be a busy summer of activity for Rovers with another sizable turnover of players expected, and the Gas will need to ensure they have enough cover for Thomas whatever the final outcome of his future.

And while it might be beneficial to everyone to leave every option still on the table, at least until the campaign gets underway - assessing how the squad develops through the pre-season and who the new Bristol Rovers leadership will recruit could alter the decision-making on Thomas’ contract - Darrell Clarke may wish for a player with the talent and potential of the 26-year-old ideally to be actioned well before the League Two season gets underway.