Bristol Rovers learn asking price for Cheltenham Town’s Alfie May as bid rejected

Bristol Rovers have been told the price they will have to pay if they want to sign Alfie May from Cheltenham Town.

The Gas have joined the race to sign the 30-year-old who has been Cheltenham’s leading player for the past two seasons. Joey Barton is keen to add that extra bit of quality that will turn the Gas in to a promotion chasing side.

Cheltenham finished above Rovers last season, despite completing a league double, but Rovers are keen to improve on their 17th-placed finish and are being backed in the transfer market by owner Wael al-Qadi. James Wilson, Luke Thomas and Jevani Brown have all joined on free transfers but May would require a significant transfer fee.

GloucestershireLive who broke the news of Rovers’ interest in May state it will take a fee of at least £250,000 to prize him away from Whaddon Road. Doncaster Rovers are due to receive 20% of the deal having sold him for £5,000 in January 2020. An offer of £200,000 was lodged by ambitious League Two side Gillingham which was rejected and their manager Neil Harris spoke openly about their pursuit.

May is in contract with Cheltenham until the summer of 2024, and they have  the option to extend his contract by a further year which would offer leverage in any prospective transfer deal. He has told them of his wishes to leave this summer, and a departure would benefit both he and the club, who would be keen to get a quick resolution to this transfer saa.

The most that Bristol Rovers have paid for a player is £370,000 (now worth £852,652 according to an inflation calculator) for Andy Tillson back in 1992. Last summer, Rovers paid just under £200,000 to re-sign Luke McCormick from AFC Wimbledon, and signing him would represent another six-figure signing for a second year running.

Rovers have already secured one of their top targets having beaten off competition from Wycombe Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers and Swindon Town for James Wilson. Jevani Brown meanwhile represents a good bit of business after getting 21 goal contributions for Exeter City. Luke Thomas meanwhile was a top target for Barton last summer, and after a year’s wait was able to get his man.

May would represent a sizable fee, but his ability to score goals at this level has been proven following two consecutive campaigns of scoring double figures. He has recently turned 30-years-old however and would need to hit the ground running for any team that he ends up joining in this window.