Bristol Rovers dealt fresh transfer blow as target’s new manager speaks out

Bristol Rovers have suffered a potential transfer blow amid their plans to bring Luke McCormick back to the club.

McCormick has been heavily linked with Rovers in recent days, with Joey Barton looking to prepare his squad for League One.

Barton needs to add more quality ahead of making the step up to the third tier, and the former Chelsea midfielder is said to have earmarked as a possible signing.

McCormick spent the 2020/21 season with Rovers as part of a loan spell during his Chelsea days, scoring six goals in 39 league appearances.

He then went on to join Wimbledon on a permanent basis, and he scored seven times in his first season with the Dons.

Ahead of next season, Rovers have been backed to make a move to take the 23-year-old back to Memorial Ground.

But Barton and Rovers have been dealt a big blow, with new Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson making it clear he does not want to sell McCormick.

“I don’t know anything about the interest,” Jackson told the South London Press.

“Obviously, he has played for them before, and he has played under that manager before, so I get why there would be interest. He is a good young player as well.

“But from our point of view, it’s not in our interest to be selling our better, young players. I want to keep hold of every one of them and build teams around them.

“He’s not a player that I’m looking to get rid of.”

Those comments don’t completely shut down a move, but it seems Rovers will face an uphill battle to pull off the transfer this summer.