Bristol Rovers owner’s social media activity drops transfer hint on Brentford loan swoop

​​Bristol Rovers are said to be closing in on a double loan swoop for two of Brentford’s players.

Joey Barton yesterday published on his X account (formerly known as Twitter) that he expected Bristol Rovers to do ‘2 signings’ in the next 24 hours which was posted on Monday. The Gas face Swansea City tonight and then Chesterfield on Saturday and Barton said he hoped to do ‘four’ before this weekends final pre-season friendly.

News broke yesterday that goalkeeper Matt Cox from Brentford was one of those signings. It was then said that another player would be arriving from the Bees and now his identity looks to have been unveiled.

Wael al-Qadi, the clubs main benefactor, has had his Instagram profile watched by supporters and now fans believe they know who will be joining Cox at the Memorial Stadium. Al-Qadi, a Jordanian businessman tends to follow clubs’ new signings and he has recently followed defender Tristan Crama.

Crama is a 21-year-old centre-back from Brentford’s academy setup. He is a right-footed centre-back, who has had a significant amount of transfer interest in him. It was reported by Foot Mercato in May that clubs in Scotland and the EFL had been interested in loaning him, as well as clubs in the second tier of French football.

He has yet to make a competitive appearance for Brentford’s first-team but appeared in their pre-season tour in 2022. Crama has also appeared five times as an unused substitute in their Premier League matches last season. Brentford won the Premier League Cup last year and Crama scored in the semi-final before beating Blackburn Rovers in the final. He has five senior appearances for hometown club Béziers under his belt. He can count Lewis Gordon as one of his former teammates having played together at Brentford in the 2021/22 season.

The French defender is under contract until the summer of 2024, after signing a two-year deal in 2022, and there is an option of a further year that the club can activate. Crama is represented by Wasserman, who are also the agents for Antony Evans, Jevani Brown, Sam Finley, Jordan Rossiter and James Connolly.

Rovers have been in the market for a centre-back since Jarell Quansah’s return to Liverpool and Lewis Gibson’s move to Plymouth Argyle. James Wilson was the first signing of the summer and he’s had various defensive partners, including Goncalo Cardso, who was on trial during Rovers’ pre-season tour in Portugal. It is unsure yet whether Cardoso’s trial will continue now they are back in the United Kingdom.