Bristol Rovers transfer update as York City break silence after speculation

Bristol Rovers have been linked with a winter transfer window swoop for York City central defender Maxim Kouogun.

Kouogun is currently on the books at National League outfit York. The Minstermen won promotion through the National League North play-offs last season and play in the fifth tier of English football.

He has played in all 15 matches that he has been available for in the National League this season and his side have kept five clean sheets when he has been present. Kouogun scored the only goal of the match against Maidenhead United in a 1-0 win in late August, showcasing his goal-scoring abilities.

The 25-year-old has been back in the United Kingdom since January of this year after joining from League of Ireland outfit Shelbourne. He played 26 times and kept eight clean sheets, including in the 2-0 play-off win over Boston United.

His career began in Ireland with UCD, a team in Ireland and even played in Europa League qualifying, before attracting the attention of Harrogate, who were in the National League at the time. He made just one appearance but was a teammate of James Belshaw.

A report from Alan Nixon, a journalist for The Sun, was published on the journalists Patreon page last week. It claimed that Barton were watching over the youngster after impressing for his current club.

Belshaw, who had only played once alongside him however could provide Barton with this thoughts of what he was like in training and how he conducted himself.

The latest development is that the club have stated that there has so far been no approach for Kougun. It does not rule out however Rovers or any other club coming in for him in the future. Any move would only take place when the registration period opens up in January.

“We’ve not had any approach or anything like that," said York City first-team coach Kingsley James to the York Press. "That’s not to say that there isn’t any interest, there may well be.

“When players are doing well at this level, they’re always going to be linked with Football League clubs and it’s great that we have any players being linked with Football League clubs."

“It shows that we’re doing well as a team and that they’re doing well as individuals. "If there’s some interest, that’s just a testament to how well he’s been doing and how well we’ve been doing.”

Rovers have used differing formations this season and at times have required three-centre-backs in their system. Bobby Thomas and Lewis Gibson is the current favoured centre-back partnership when Barton has deployed a four-man defence. Luca Hoole, predominantly a right-back, but also available to play at centre-back is an option. James Connolly, who has been out with a stress fracture is also another centre-back that Joey Barton has at his disposal.

Social media speculation has recently linked academy graduate Alfie Kilgour with a move away from the Memorial Stadium, to Football League hopefuls Chesterfield. Paul Cook, who had managed Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth, is currently their manager.