Brett Pitman is set to complete a move to National League side Eastleigh FC, Bristol Live understands, after being told by Joey Barton in the January transfer window he was free to leave the club.
Pitman joined the Gas in the summer, signing a one-year contract after departing Swindon Town and has scored four goals in 16 games, eight as a starter, but has struggled for fitness plus a nagging sense that he no longer fits Barton's intended playing style.
The 34-year-old will be best remembered for his injury time equaliser at Bradford in October but has fallen down the pecking order at the Mem following the January arrival of Ryan Loft from Scunthorpe with Leon Clarke also recovering from injury.
The move to the Silverlake Stadium will see him join former Gas defenders Michael Kelly and Josh Hare, although they weren't Rovers players when he signed in north Bristol.
It also moves the Jersey-born forward back to the south coast having come through the youth ranks at Bournemouth and spent the majority of his career in that part of the country with the Cherries and Portsmouth.
Barton was honest in outlining Pitman's situation last week when he said, "If you’ve had a career like Brett has had, you want to go out playing. You don’t want to go out being 19th man and not playing on a matchday.
"It’s different if you’re 20 and you’re developing, but not when you’re 33, so, I wanted to give him that opportunity."
Eastleigh lies 15th in the National League and are advertising for a new manager after Ben Strevens left the club by mutual consent last week.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old goalkeeper Jed Ward has been recalled from his loan spell at Swindon Supermarine due to an injury in the Rovers squad. Third-choice Ward was sent out on loan on January 21 but has been quickly brought back to BS7.
Ward was allowed to temporarily leave the Gas due to Anssi Jaakkola's return to fitness with the Finland international on the bench for Rovers' last four fixtures having suffered injury issues for much of the season.
In his place James Belshaw, a summer signing from Harrogate Town, has been outstanding and arguably the club's most consistent performer.
Rovers manager Barton is scheduled to hold his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's trip to Sutton United on Thursday afternoon where he should be able to provide further clarification.
SIGN UP: For our newsletter to receive more exclusive Bristol Rovers content
