A quick look at Bristol Rovers' recent record of free agent signings outside of the transfer window highlights the nature of shopping in that market.
Glenn Whelan was signed a year ago this month and he has offered great value for the Gas as a player in their League Two promotion-winning season and as a player-coach this term. But he is an outlier; more often than not out-of-window moves for free agents are a punt that rarely pays big dividends.
After all, if you haven't got a club by September 1, there usually is a good reason for it. Typically, it is injuries, but there can be other baggage involved, too. For February 2022 signing Jon Nolan, it was the former, with a year spent on the sidelines at Ipswich Town proving too much to come back from in a relatively short run to the end of the season, and there are several other similar examples.
And in Whelan's case, it must be noted that he was in the building for weeks, earning his contract, before his signing was made official.
Gas boss Joey Barton is happy with the core of his group, meaning he is in a position to take such gambles without fear of upsetting the balance of his squad. He has admitted he came up a winger and a centre-back short of his desired number of incomings in the transfer market, although he has suggested he will not move for a defender after being encouraged by Bobby Thomas' debut in the draw against Morecambe on Saturday.
He did not rule out moving for a winger, though, and he said: "There is still the free market so we’ve got space to do something if we decide to do that."
With that in mind, Bristol Live has taken a look at the free agents on the market in that position. Options are few and far between, but there are some names that could be considered.
Callum McManaman
A player from Huyton, the same part of Liverpool, Barton is sure to know plenty about former Wigan Athletic star Callum McManaman, who the Rovers boss would have crossed paths with in the Premier League and Championship
The 31-year-old is still unattached after leaving Tranmere Rovers at the end of last season, where he scored three times in 33 appearances in all competitions – not particularly eye-catching numbers.
McManaman was a star of the Wigan team that won the FA Cup in 2013, winning the man of the match award for his performance in the 1-0 win over Manchester City at Wembley.
Since then, Mcmanaman has played for the likes of Sunderland, Luton Town and West Bromwich Albion, as well as a stint in Australia with Melbourne Victory.
McManaman's career has been hit by injuries, meaning he has rarely come close to seeing out a 46-game season, but he has plenty of high-level experience and he could be a handy role player for a League One or League Two club due to the move to five subs, which has put greater emphasis on having more attacking options on the bench.
Scott Sinclair
Aged 33 and without a club since leaving Preston North End at the conclusion of last season, a return for Scott Sinclair to Bristol Rovers would be quite the story.
Bath-born Sinclair came through Rovers' academy and became the second-youngest player to wear the blue and white quarters in a league game aged 15 in 2004. He would make a couple of appearances before being snapped up by Chelsea, who paid £200,000 up front in compensation.
Sinclair did not break through at Stamford Bridge, but he has forged a very good career, with standout spells at Swansea City and Celtic.
The former England under-21 and Team GB international would offer not only experience but versatility for whoever signs him in the coming weeks. He can play across the frontline and bring both creative and scoring prowess.
He probably won't come cheap, though, and it seems entirely feasible that a Championship side could move for Sinclair if they suffer a significant injury in their attacking ranks. File this one in the "unlikely" category.
Sammy Ameobi
Sammy Ameobi is one the more recognisable EFL players in recent seasons, not for his success or productivity, but for a mercurial, entertaining playing style that created quite the highlight reel. He is close to 300 senior appearances, having played for the likes of Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest after starting out at Newcastle United.
But any player who has not played for a year due to injury must raise red flags. Ameobi, 30, has not played for more than 12 months due to a knee injury, enduring a disastrous season at Middlesbrough, who released him in May without playing a game for the club.
Ameobi's fitness player a few months on is unclear, and he typifies the risks of shopping for free agents. He may be talented but if and when he is picked up, there is little certainty about how much he could play.
Joe Dodoo
For two seasons in succession, Joe Dodoo has signed for clubs after the transfer deadline. In February 2021, he signed for then-struggling Wigan Athletic, who were just out of administration and mired in the League One relegation battle alongside the Gas.
Dodoo would come up with a very handy four goals in 20 appearances for the Latics as they surged away from the bottom four to safety.
The former Rangers and Bolton forward chose his next club in September 2021, signing for League One Doncaster Rovers. It was a horrible season for Donny, who finished at the foot of the table and were relegated to League Two, so Dodoo did relatively well to chip in with eight goals in 39 appearances, although four of those strikes came in the EFL Trophy.
Dodoo can play across the attack and will do a job for someone in League One or League Two at some point this season, but is he of the level and profile Rovers would be looking for? That is up for debate.
The probable outcome
It is likely Rovers will decide against signing a free agent between now and the January window, unless an injury crisis causes a need for urgency. There are some recognisable names on the market but at this time of the year, there are no perfect solutions due to finances, injuries or other complications.
If the Gas do bring in an unattached player, it seems more feasible that they will look for youngsters who have fallen out of academies or development squads over the summer due, perhaps due to an injury.
The Gas have been known to take young players on brief trials during the season and Barton and his staff have shown a knack for finding under-the-radar signings, such as James Connolly and Lewis Gordon, that can offer value.
While it may prove a fruitless exercise, that route could be considered more sensible than paying significant wages to a player on the other side of 30 years old that may bring a few injury concerns.
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