2 bargain free transfers Gillingham could consider ft. Hakeeb Adelakun | OneFootball

Gillingham still want to add to their squad before the end of the transfer window, and there are still bargain free transfers to be had.

Gillingham's summer transfer business has undoubtedly made the Kent club's squad stronger for 2024/25, but more work still needs to be done.

Gills boss Mark Bonner has already made clear his view that the squad still needs more additions in order to be a legitimate challenger at the sharp end of League Two, and with the last few weeks of the transfer window counting down, the club's recruitment team will be scouring the market for high-value, low-risk free-agent options.

With a plethora of professionals on the open market after being released by their former clubs, there are certainly plenty of options Bonner, plus director of football Kenny Jackett and head of recruitment Andy Hessenthaler, could have their eyes on as they look to strengthen the squad further before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Here, FLW offers two potential free-agent options that could help address a couple areas of shortfall in the current Gillingham squad.

Harrison Dunk

With Gillingham looking short of left back cover for first-team starter Max Clark, an experienced backup might be exactly the sort of free agent transfer Mark Bonner would be interested in. And, in the form of Harrison Dunk, it would be a player he has some prior knowledge of.

Dunk spent 13 years at Cambridge United, racking up more than 460 appearances for the U's in a run that saw him help the club to two promotions, with the latter coming under Bonner's management.

A knee injury sustained during Bonner's time at Cambridge put Dunk on the shelf for the majority of the 2023/24 season and eventually led to the end of his time at the Abbey Stadium. But now, following successful knee surgery on a torn meniscus, Dunk could be ready to return to action, and Bonner may be tempted to give his former defensive stalwart a call.

Dunk would need a full medical assessment to check that he's good to go, but if he proves his fitness, Bonner could be tempted to bring him in as an experienced and trusted addition to the squad, in an area of the pitch where cover is scarce.

Hakeeb Adelakun

It's fair to say Gillingham didn't really see the best of Hakeeb Adekakun when they had him on a season-long loan in the 2022/23 season. But things were very different for the attacking midfielder/winger when he subsequently joined Doncaster Rovers on loan last season.

While his 21 League Two appearances at Priestfield produced no goal involvements, his time at Doncaster showed us much more of Adelakun's capabilities. In 19 league games at Rovers, he scored nine times and assisted for seven more as he helped Donny make a late-season surge into the League Two play-offs.

But, following Rovers' play-off heartbreak, Adelakun returned to Lincoln and, with his contract expiring, left the Red Imps. Now, the 28-year-old slightly surprisingly finds himself still without a club as the season gets underway.

Looking at the Gills' squad depth across the different areas of the pitch, there would appear to be some room for another wide player on the roster, and Adelakun's style of play would appear to be much more suited to Mark Bonner than he was to Neil Harris, who he played under during a turbulent season for the Gills in 2022/23.

And with a lack of quality cover for the likes of Jack Nolan and Aaron Rowe out wide, snapping up Adelakun could be a very shrewd piece of late-window business for the Kent side.