Bristol Rovers have secured the signing of centre-back James Connolly from Cardiff City, with the promotion hero signing a three-year contract at the Mem and completing one of Joey Barton’s main transfer missions of the summer.
Connolly formed an outstanding partnership alongside fellow 20-year-old Connor Taylor during his six-month loan from the Bluebirds in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign in League Two.
Connolly made 24 appearances, with Rovers keeping 12 clean sheets with him on the pitch, in what was his first season in senior football after Under-23 appearances for Cardiff and previous club Blackburn Rovers.
After returning to the Welsh capital, Cardiff elected to activate the option in his deal meaning that Rovers had to pay an undisclosed fee to secure his services for next season and beyond.
“We are delighted to get James back with us,” Barton said. “He was a key part of our promotion success last season. His arrival on loan in January coincided with the team going on a run of 16 wins, six draws and just three defeats.
“At just 20, his performances and presence amongst our squad defied his age and, once we understood that there was an opportunity to secure his signature permanently, we have moved quickly to close off that deal with Cardiff City.
“James has huge potential and we are excited to support his continual improvement to help our team be successful now that he’s officially a Bristol Rovers player.”
Connolly becomes Rovers’ third signing of the summer alongside midfielder Jordan Rossiter and versatile full-back James Gibbons as the Gas squad has been significantly bolstered over the last week ahead of the start of pre-season on Monday.
With Antony Evans and Trevor Clarke also signing new contracts in north Bristol, what had seemed a quiet start to the summer transfer window now looks incredibly positive as Barton prepares for the forthcoming League One campaign.
Connolly is one of four Rovers loanees who made significant impacts during last season alongside Taylor, Elliot Anderson and winger Luke Thomas, while Sion Spence, even though he wasn’t heavily involved, scored the match-winner in a FA Cup tie against Oxford United which kick-started their season.
Theoretically, Rovers have a chance of bringing all back to the Mem. Stoke manager Michael O’Neill wants to run the rule over Taylor this summer before deciding whether to loan him out, but also has signed experienced centre-back Aden Flint and Harry Clarke on loan from Arsenal, growing the competition.
The same applies to Anderson at Newcastle, with Eddie Howe wanting to see how the 19-year-old operates in the first-team environment. However, there is significant Championship interest, should he become available on loan, which could thwart Rovers’ attempts.
Thomas, meanwhile, has been given a fresh opportunity by new Barnsley manager Michael Duff but could find himself surplus to requirements, giving the Gas a chance of bringing him back to the Mem on a permanent basis. Barton is a former teammate of Duff’s at Burnley and the two remain close friends.
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