Bristol Rovers target Callum Camps has completed a move to Stockport County, with the Gas moving onto other midfield options in the transfer market.
Camps was confirmed as Stockport’s sixth summer signing on Monday night, three weeks after the League Two club had initially elected not to sign the former Fleetwood playmaker having brought in midfielders Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Akil Wright.
However, with the time that has elapsed and Stockport coming back in for the 26-year-old, Bristol Live understands that Joey Barton has another target in mind as the extra attacking midfielder he would like to sign this summer.
Camps nearly became a Rovers player in January, only for his move to the West Country to be blocked by Fleetwood Town as they were embroiled in a relegation battle, even though his contract was expiring this summer.
Camps was on Barton’s shortlist again this summer, on a free transfer, but with almost a month of the transfer window having passed, he increasingly appears to have been a secondary option. Indeed, sources in the north west have indicated that County were surprised that Camps was still on the market and available, as the perception was Rovers were ready to make a move.
Although Antony Evans has signed a new three-year contract in north Bristol, and Jordan Rossiter has arrived in a deeper midfield role, Barton would still like to bring in an additional offensively-focused central midfielder.
Luke McCormick is a known target but AFC Wimbledon have placed a high valuation on the 23-year-old, who still has two years to run on his contract, and with the Dons also driving the price up for teammate Jack Rudoni, if the latter leaves to the Championship - with four clubs keen on him - it may mean Johnnie Jackson can afford to keep the midfielder.
Rovers completed their fourth summer signing on Monday evening with former Portsmouth striker John Marquis signing a two-year contract. The 30-year-old has flown to Portugal to meet up with the rest of the squad at their training camp.
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