Bristol Rovers find out EFL Trophy opponents as Wayne Rooney eyes Man Utd reunion

Bristol Rovers staff and players are due back for preseason very shortly as excitement builds for their first season back in the third tier after a year away.

We are just one week away from resuming first-team training, seven weeks after they last played a competitive match, a dramatic 7-0 win over Scunthorpe United.

Antony Evans is one of those players that will be taking part as he put an end to any speculation by signing a new three-year contract last week.

Attention now turns to what new faces could come through the door and whether any of last season’s loanees will return to the Memorial Stadium.

Below are the latest headlines involving Rovers and their League One rivals for the 2022/23 campaign.

Plymouth and Swindon in EFL Trophy

Bristol Rovers know two out of the three teams they will be playing in the EFL Trophy this season after being drawn in Group E.

They will face their new league rivals Plymouth Argyle, as well as defeated play-off semi-finalists Swindon Town.

Rovers last played the Pilgrims in the competition in the 2019/20 group stages whilst the Gas faced Swindon last season.

The Robins are on the search for a new first-team manager after Ben Garner left for Charlton Athletic.

As well as two EFL rivals, they will also face one of the under-21 teams of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

As teams cannot play at home to one another at this stage of the competition, it is confirmed that Rovers will travel to Home Park.

The draw will take place at 11:30 on Thursday with Sky Sports News streaming it hours after the League One fixtures are released.

Tractor Boys close in on left-back

Ipswich Town are closing in on the signing of left-back Greg Leigh from league rivals Morecambe according to a report from the East Anglian Daily Times.

Leigh started 33 games for the Shrimpers last season and can play on the opposite flank as well as in midfielder.

That was his one and only season with Morecambe after signing a one-year deal and now he could become the third addition at Portman Road after the signings of Freddie Ladapo and Dominic Ball.

Peterborough United accept bid from Hearts as defender is released

Peterborough United are about to let midfielder Jorge Grant leave for Scotland after Hearts had an offer accepted.

Football Scotland claim that the Posh have ‘reluctantly’ accepted the offer which will see Grant hold talks about a move up north.

The bid was below what Peterborough were expecting however relegation from the Championship means they are allowing the player to assess his options.

Second-tier teams in England are interested but now Robbie Neilson’s side have stolen a march on them as they put together a package to confirm the signing.

As well as Grant’s possible departure, Peterborough have also cancelled the contract of defender Mark Beevers by mutual consent.

Beevers was captain of their title-winning side in 2021 and now he is free to discuss a move to a new club, two years before his original deal was due to run out.

Wayne Rooney keen on Phil Bardsley reunion

Derby County are reportedly interested in signing Phil Bardsley after his release from Burnley.

Freelance journalist Alan Nixon has posted on his Patreon account of reported interest from Derby.

Bardsley was a teammate of Rooney’s during their time together at Manchester United and that could be a possibility should the Rams sort out their takeover problems.

The 36-year-old made just three appearances for the Clarets last season and none came in the Premier League.

Deals are in place for Bardsley, Tom Barkhuizen and Michael Ihikwe but they will only go through if they can get a new owner with talks ongoing with their administrators.