Bristol Rovers suffer blow in Plymouth Argyle transfer hunt | OneFootball

Bristol Rovers look set to miss out on the signing of Joe Edwards from Plymouth Argyle in the summer transfer window.

That's after a report from Bristol Live claimed that the defender is instead set to remain with his current club for the 2024/25 campaign.

Edwards first joined Plymouth back in the summer of 2019, and has made over 200 appearances in all competitions for the club.

During that time, he has helped the club climb the divisions, winning two promotions from League Two to League One to the Championship in his five years with the club.

Now it seems as though the defender is set to remain at Home Park for next season, despite interest from elsewhere.

Bristol Rovers to miss out on Joe Edwards transfer

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the 33-year-old was on the verge of joining Bristol Rovers, after the Gas had been interested in signing him back in the January transfer window.

It was claimed that Edwards had been in contention to leave Plymouth, after falling down the pecking order under former manager Ian Foster.

Now however, it appears as though the defender will not be going anywhere during the current market.

According to this latest update, Edwards is now set to stay at Plymouth to fight for his place in the side at Home Park.

It is thought that a delay in negotiations, and the appointment of Wayne Rooney as the Pilgrim's new manager, are among the reasons that Edwards is instead now set to stay at Home Park.

Plymouth will once again be a Championship side next season, after Edwards' goal in a 1-0 win over Hull on the final day of the 2023/24 campaign ensured they finished 21st in the second-tier standings, one point clear of the relegation zone.

The defender has one year remaining on his contract with the Pilgrims, securing his future at Home Park until the end of next season.

For their part, Bristol Rovers finished 15th in the League One table, well adrift of the play-off places, and comfortably clear of the relegation zone.

They are yet to make a signing in this summer's transfer window, and this latest update on the future of Edwards will not help their attempts to change that.

Joe Edwards update is a blow for Bristol Rovers

It does feel as though this news that Edwards looks set to stay with Plymouth will be something of a setback for Bristol Rovers.

The Gas have plenty of work to do in the window this summer, having seen a large number of players already depart the Memorial Stadium following the end of last season.

There will therefore be pressure on them to get players in this summer, and the addition of someone with the promotion-winning experience of Edwards would have been a very useful signing.

Indeed, the 33-year-old's defensive versatility would have been a welcome addition, given defence is one area where they are particularly short of options, adding to the concern they may be feeling here.

However, it is still early days in the summer window, so there is plenty of time to get in those signings that are needed.

Even so, given how close it appeared they were to completing the signing at one point, this will still only be seen as a source of frustration by those of a Bristol Rovers persuasion.