Centre-back is near the top of Joey Barton and Bristol Rovers' shopping list this summer as they prepare to take on the challenge of League One.
James Connolly and Connor Taylor were outstanding for the Gas en route to promotion from the fourth tier, but they have returned to their respective parent clubs and there are no guarantees they will return, with their futures out of Rovers' hands.
As a result, the Gas have only Alfie Kilgour and Nick Anderton as senior centre-back options and it is an area of the pitch that has to be a focus of the recruitment strategy, and there are plenty of options in the free agent market.
Although Barton has had plenty of success with young players using the loan market and he is sure to use that avenue again, there are proven players out of contract this summer that could add depth and quality to Rovers' ranks. Here are some of the free agents Rovers could target...
Aaron Pierre
Aaron Pierre has been one of the prominent centre-backs in League One and League Two in recent seasons, becoming a starter for Wycombe Wanderers, Northampton Town and Shrewsbury Town.
The 29-year-old, a Grenada international, has more than 300 career appearances to his name and has been a physically dominant presence wherever he has played, as well as a goalscoring threat.
He did not feature as prominently as he would have liked last season with just 16 league starts as manager Steve Cotterill chose to go in a different direction, shifting to a back three.
Pierre is more old-school in style and he may not be a perfect fit for a team eager to dominate possession, but he is a powerful defender that would add value to plenty of squads in the third tier.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell
Next on the list is Pierre's defensive partner, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, with plenty of surprise in Shropshire when Shrewsbury announced the 29-year-old would not be retained for next season.
Like Pierre, he may not be the best centre-back on the ball but his first job is to defend and he does that manfully. The former Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and MK Dons defender has been in League One for seven straight seasons and he is likely to find a home there again next season.
WhoScored rated him in the top 10 for centre-halves that played more than 30 games in League One last season and he will not be short of suitors.
Like Pierre, perhaps not a perfect fit for Barton's desired style of play, but he would add value.
Jordan Willis
Without some bad luck with injuries, Jordan Willis would not be available on the free agent market this summer. He was a key player for Coventry City as they rose into League One in 2018, and his impressive form lured Sunderland to snap him up as they targeted promotion to the Championship.
After a solid first season with the Black Cats, Willis ruptured patellar tendon meant he missed the whole of last season.
His last appearance was in February 2021, meaning there would be uncertainty and risk involved with signing him, but the rewards if it paid off could be significant.
The 27-year-old was the captain of Mark Robins' Sky Blues and was seen as a defender with Championship potential. He could end up being a high-value acquisition for a club this summer if he can put his injury issues behind him.
Chey Dunkley
Speaking of injuries, Chey Dunkley is another classy centre-back to struggle with injury issues, limiting him to just 36 appearances in two seasons with Sheffield Wednesday.
Owls fans have been impressed by what they've seen from the 30-year-old defender, but he missed significant chunks of this season as Wednesday missed out in the League One play-offs.
Manager Darren Moore has allowed Dunkley to leave Hillsborough on a free this summer and he will have options. He has impressed with Wigan Athletic and Oxford United in the past after climbing through the non-league ranks.
Jordan Turnbull
At 27 years old, Jordan Turnbull is in the sweet spot as a potential free agent signing. His best years may still be ahead of him, but he has more than 300 career appearances, a promotion and two EFL Trophy winner's medals to his name.
He also was named in the League Two Team of the Season at the EFL Awards in April after shining in the defence of Salford City. The big-spending Ammies were able to lure him to Moor Lane in 2020, turning down the chance to play in League One after winning the play-offs with Northampton Town.
But left-footed Turnbull has a wealth of experience in the third, playing three full seasons across spells with Swindon Town and Coventry City.
He has been superb for Salford, too. WhoScored – based on data collected from each game – rated Turnbull the best player to feature in more than 30 League Two games last season, just ahead of Rovers star Antony Evans.
Barton is known to want to recruit from above the level, but out-of-contract Turnbull has been a League One calibre player operating in the fourth tier and he is sure to have plenty of interest with contract talks with Salford ongoing.
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