Medical scheduled as Bristol Rovers see off competition to land Stoke City player | OneFootball

Highlights

Bristol Rovers are set to complete the signing of defender Connor Taylor from Stoke City after a fee of around £300,000 was agreed between the two clubs.

Who is Connor Taylor?

All fans connected to the Gas will be well aware of the 21-year-old, as he spent the 2021/22 season on loan at the Memorial Stadium as Joey Barton’s side won promotion to League One.

The club tried to bring him back for the previous campaign, but Taylor was given a chance to be part of the squad by his boyhood club, and he made 14 appearances for Stoke last season.

However, Alex Neil has options ahead of Taylor in the pecking order, and with Luke McNally set to add to the defensive ranks, the youngster was going to need to move to get game time moving forward.

Bristol Rovers to sign Connor Taylor

And, a return to Bristol Rovers is on the cards, as Bristol Live revealed that the two clubs have agreed a fee, with the centre-back to undergo a medical before the move is finalised, with an announcement likely on Wednesday. Interestingly, it states that they saw off competition to land Taylor from the Potters as well.

“Bristol Rovers have had a bid accepted for Stoke City defender and former loanee Connor Taylor with the 21-year-old set for a medical in the next 24 hours. The fee is believed to be in the region of £300,000.

“Rovers have been Taylor's first choice of destination throughout the summer and the Gas look to have successfully beaten off competition from Championship side Plymouth Argyle and League One rivals Barnsley to land the centre-back. The transfer is thought to be independent of the additional investment expected into the club from Kuwaiti businessman Hussain Al Saeed.”

This has to be seen as a real coup for the League One side, particularly as they saw off competition from promotion hopefuls Barnsley and Championship outfit Plymouth.

That gives an indication of the potential of Taylor, and he’s obviously a player that Barton knows well, as he has worked with him at close quarters, so he clearly values his ability and character.

Meanwhile, for the player, it’s a chance to get back playing week in, week out, and he will expect to become an important player once again for Bristol Rovers.

Stoke City summer transfer plans

It’s a shame for Stoke that Taylor will be moving on, as all fans like to see a boyhood supporter progress into the side, but the reality is that it’s probably too soon in his career to be playing for a side that wants to win promotion to the Premier League.

The summer business at the Bet365 Stadium is taking shape nicely, with Alex Neil having brought in a lot of quality as he looks to improve after a tough period following his appointment last season.

There was a need for wholesale changes in terms of the squad, and that’s arrived. So, it will be interesting to see how the XI looks for Saturday’s game against Rotherham, and how many more deals happen before the deadline.