Charlton Athletic, Bristol Rovers and Barnsley plotting move for 23-year-old | OneFootball

Dunfermline's Josh Edwards has been subject to a high amount of transfer speculation, with Charlton Athletic, Bristol Rovers, Blackpool and Barnsley all desperate to sign the defender.

According to Iain Collin of The Courier, Charlton Athletic were the first to make their move and saw a six-figure bid rejected by The Pars, who recently extended his stay by a further 12 months.

With interest also shared by the other trio of League One clubs, the race is on to sign the highly talented defender.

Josh Edwards transfer latest

As stated by The Courier, interest has been rife ever since January, when Barnsley submitted what was believed to be a similar offer to Charlton's.

With that one also rejected, Dunfermline are prepared for further bids to arrive from various clubs and, with just a year left on his deal, their bargaining position is fairly weak.

However, as the Daily Record stated in their live blog (23rd May), James McPake's team are keen to sell him, as financially they can't afford to allow him to leave for free in 2025.

Additionally, Rovers, Charlton and Blackpool are all keen to get the deal done as soon as possible and with the transfer window just three weeks away, an early deal would suit them.

Meanwhile, Barnsley are likely to turn their attention elsewhere, having signed Josh Earl in January to take up that position.

Josh Edwards -The story so far

Having originally been a Kilmarnock youth prospect, Edwards had his first break in professional football when he signed for Airdrieonians.

In 39 appearances at the club, the youngster really impressed, and it was no surprise when he made the step-up to play for Scottish Championship outfit Dunfermline Athletic.

Since his move to East End Park, the 23-year-old defender has not looked back and has made over 180 appearances for the club since 2019, becoming a key part of their side. During that period, the defender has managed to add ten goals to his tally and provide 24 assists for his team.

His development has only been emphasised by the awards and accolades he has received. The past two years have seen him make the Scottish Championship Team of the Year and this season he received Management Player of the Year for his club.

Wherever he does end up, his time at Dunfermline has been a successful one, and he has rewarded the Dunfermline fans tenfold.

Interested clubs can hold hope

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With the Pars board recognising the need to cash in on Edwards, James McPake's comments will only boost the interest of the League One clubs.

Speaking to The Courier about rejecting the January bid for the defender, McPake said: “I’ve said to him, the moves will come for him.

The manager's comments will only stir the interest of the clubs chasing him and next season it would be no surprise to see the versatile left-back starring in the third tier of English football.