Exeter City might have missed transfer opportunity as Blackburn Rovers reports emerge: View | OneFootball

Exeter City are on the lookout for a No.9 but they may have missed out on Will Evans.

It's no secret that Exeter City are in the market for a frontline, out-and-out No.9 this summer.

The fact that the literal No.9 has, so far, been left vacant in the official squad numbers list this season speaks volumes.

Sonny Cox has bags of potential, but you feel he needs a League Two or Vanarama National loan to get regular game time and, hopefully, a few goals and some more vital experience before he’s truly ready to be the main striker in a side with long-term League One play-off ambitions.

Millenic Alli also looks very exciting but he’s more versatile and can feature on the wings or up top.

Josh Magennis should be very useful this season but he’s more of an experienced head to help with the build-up and get the team up the pitch rather than getting in behind and causing the opposition headaches that way.

There’s clearly a spot up front for a player in his prime who’s sole job is to break the lines in behind and work towards getting 20 goals a season.

Exeter City keen on Will Evans transfer

Reports seem to suggest City’s No.1 No.9 target is Will Evans of Newport. The Grecians were linked with the 27-year-old hitman who fired 25 goals in 55 appearances for The Exiles last season throughout the last transfer window, but a move didn’t come to pass.

There are murmurs floating about on X that City have tried again this summer and Newport’s chairman Huw Jenkins has revealed multiple bids from unnamed League One sides for his signature.

“We have knocked both of them back and there have been other conversations, but nothing else really to report.

“That is just to be expected for a guy who scored over 20 goals last year, so that is where we are at and we hope that things stay as they are.”

Perhaps it’s not too much of a leap to guess that City are one of these clubs.

While City might have had a free run at the Welshman in January, there’s a new big fish lurking that could blow the Grecians out of the water.

Blackburn Rovers' interest in Will Evans

Reports suggest that Blackburn are interested in Evans as a replacement for Sammie Szmodics who has been linked with a move to Premier League new boys Ipswich Town after he bagged 27 goals in the Championship last term.

In fairness, Blackburn have been linked with plenty of strikers this summer so maybe they’re just casting the net about a bit.

Either way, genuine interest from a Championship side pushes the price up and obviously presents a more appealing option for the player.

Newport clearly want to keep hold of Evans and they recently triggered an extension in his contract which was due to expire this summer but now runs until the end of the season.

City fans know all too well that money talks and everyone has their price.

Whether Gary Caldwell can, or is prepared to, meet Evans’ remains to be seen, but the fact is he’s out of contract in under 12 months so the Exiles may be tempted to cash in now.

Conversely, there’s the possibility of waiting a year and try to nab him on a free.

While that option may be on the table, City still need a proven goalscorer for this season if last term’s struggles in front of goal are to be avoided again.