Bristol Rovers miss out on transfer target as he opts for Doncaster Rovers move

Bristol Rovers have seemingly missed out on the signature of Hartlepool United midfielder Luke Molyneux to Doncaster Rovers.

Molyneux was on the search for a new club after four seasons with the Pools in what was just his second permanent home of his career.

The 24-year-old has opted to remain in League Two and help Doncaster ‘get back to where they belong’ after being relegated from League One last year.

More news has come to light however that two opportunities had presented themselves to Molyneux, but he instead opted for a move to the Keepmoat Stadium.

Rovers, along with losing play-off semi-finalists MK Dons, reportedly held talks with him in the last week or so before he made up his decision.

He had not been their first priority and instead focused on a different player but that deal collapsed and they ended up missing out on a player who could not wait around.

"Literally about a week, maybe even two, before I came to Doncaster there was a lot of talks with MK Dons and a lot of talks with Bristol Rovers,” he said to the Doncaster Free Press.

"They were two clubs I was really looking at and seeing what could happen, but things didn’t work out. Both teams, especially MK Dons, said they wanted to look at the loan market first.

"I said ‘I can’t wait around’. I wanted to get back in for pre-season, so that one broke down. Bristol wanted to sign someone else and that obviously fell through.

"There was quite a lot of teams in League Two that were interested but Doncaster was the standout one for me.”

Molyneux scored eight goals in 43 appearances for Hartlepool last season and twice came up against Rovers, winning in November but losing in January.

Last season, Molyneux mainly played as a right winger but was also a second striker and a centre-forward and is a position that has not yet been recruited for.

The departure of Sam Nicholson to Major League Soccer outfit Colorado Rapids who could play on that side, could mean that a winger may be needed.

Centre midfield Jordan Rossiter was the first addition, joining for an undisclosed fee from Fleetwood Town. He was followed by Port Vale full-back James Gibbons who made a free transfer move to the West Country.

James Connolly later then became the third signing, making his loan move from Cardiff City permanent last Friday for a seven figure fee.