Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton would like to sign Everton loanee Lewis Gibson permanently this summer, if a deal can be done.
The 22-year-old defender has been unable to play for the past month, as he recovers from an injury, but figured in all four of Rovers' opening four League One fixtures.
But the Gas gaffer Barton is already suitably impressed by Gibson to spell out his intentions, should he be able to shake off his injury issues that interrupted a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday last season as well.
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Speaking to Bristol World, Barton said: “For us, even taking Lewis Gibson, it’s one eye on the future. He’s someone we have taken out on loan. We think ‘okay, if we can do a really good job with him’ and he doesn’t manage to make the grade at Everton. I think he’s a really good player, the problem with that is we are trying him out a bit with his injury record. He’s new to Bristol and trying us out. It’s having that patience in the midst of building a new team and a new group together.”
Durham-born Gibson started off in the youth ranks at Newcastle United before switching to Everton, but is yet to make a single first- team appearance. He has spent the past couple of seasons on loan spells with Fleetwood Town, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and now Bristol Rovers. A route into Frank Lampard's side looks increasingly unlikely, with the acquisitions of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski during the summer.
Gibson has played for England at U17, U18 and U20 level and was part of the side that won the U17 World Cup in 2017.
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