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Bristol Rovers have added midfielder Jake Garrett to their ranks as he joins on loan for the 2024-25 season from Blackburn Rovers.

The 21-year-old made 28 appearances in all competitions last campaign for Blackburn, scoring four goals.

Garrett also won the club's 'Young Player of the Season' award and has come through their academy.

“I feel like I have a point to prove." Garrett told the club, external upon joining.

"I want to have the opportunity to show what I can do, week-in and week-out in League One.

"I am ready for the physical challenge and I'm prepared to battle hard and be a valuable part of the team."

Garrett is the club's 12th signing of the summer transfer window and joins before their opening game of the season next weekend when the Pirates welcome Northampton Town to the Memorial Stadium.

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Aston Villa left-back Lino Sousa has joined Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan.

The 19-year-old joined Villa in February and spent the second half of last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle.

He made eight appearances for the Pilgrims in the Championship, having begun his career in the Arsenal academy.

Sousa becomes the 14th summer signing for the Gas, and the fourth on loan.

"I feel like this is a really good platform to showcase myself and help the club achieve its aims for the season," he told the club's website, external.

"I'm just grateful to the manager and the coaching staff for giving me this opportunity."

Rovers began their League One season by beating Northampton on Saturday before losing to Cardiff in the Carabao Cup first round on Tuesday.

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Bristol Rovers have signed forward Shaq Forde from Watford for an undisclosed fee and striker Gatlin O’Donkor on a season-long loan from Oxford United.

Forde, 20, spent last season on loan at Leyton Orient, where he scored nine goals in 43 appearances, and has signed a three-year contract.

O'Donkor is Rovers’ fifth signing on loan this transfer window.

The 19-year-old made 24 appearances for the U's last season before a loan spell at National League side Barnet, where he scored six goals in 14 matches.

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Bristol Rovers have signed midfielder Romaine Sawyers until the end of the season.

The 33-year-old former Brentford and Walsall player scored once in four League Two games during a short spell at AFC Wimbledon in December.

The Gas are 20th in League One, five points and one place clear of the relegation zone. Sawyers becomes the club's first signing of the winter transfer window.

"I appreciate the opportunity that the club and the gaffer have given me, and I really want to repay that faith by putting in good performances between now and the end of the season," he told the club's website., external

Sawyers began his career at West Bromwich Albion and joined Walsall in 2013 after a short loan spell with the Saddlers.

He made 162 appearances in three seasons for the club before moving to Brentford, where he played 135 times.

Sawyers returned to Baggies in 2019 and spent three years at The Hawthorns, including a season on loan at Stoke City, before joining Cardiff City in 2022.

He left the Bluebirds in July last year before moving to the Dons on a short-term contract in December.

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Bristol Rovers have signed Aston Villa defender Sil Swinkels, Cardiff City attacker Michael Reindorf and Watford goalkeeper Myles Roberts on loan until the end of the season.

Dutchman Swinkels, 21, has made two senior Villa appearances - his debut coming against Liverpool in the FA Cup in 2021 when Villa's senior squad was hit by Covid-19.

The former Vitesse Arnhem player made his first start for Villa in their 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers in September.

"Sil has already shown his ability, his power and technical ability, all of which he has in abundance for a 21-year-old," Rovers head coach Inigo Calderon told the club website., external

"We are looking forward to having him with us for the rest of the season and helping him to develop even further towards his full potential."

Reindorf, 19, has made four appearances for the Bluebirds since joining the Championship club in the summer after his release by Norwich City.

"I'm very excited, Bristol Rovers is a big club and I feel like it's time to show what I am capable of," he said., external


Roberts joins from Championship side Watford following the departure of keeper Josh Griffiths, after he was recalled by parent club West Bromwich Albion.

Griffiths was on a season-long loan and had been the Gas' first-choice keeper this season - playing every minute of their 28 League One games so far.

Roberts, 23, has been on loan with Partick Thistle during the first half of this campaign, playing 21 games for the Scottish Championship side.

Jed Ward has also returned to the club from his loan at National League Forest Green Rovers - where he has kept 10 clean sheets in 28 games for the side.

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Bristol Rovers midfielder Jamie Lindsay has left the League Two club by mutual agreement.

He scored three goals in 33 appearances last season after arriving from Rotherham United on a three-year contract.

But the 29-year-old will not be part of new boss Darrell Clarke's plans for the new campaign following relegation from the third tier.

Lindsay began his career in Celtic's youth set-up and had a season with Ross County before moving to Rotherham in 2019.

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Bristol Rovers have signed defenders Alfie Kilgour and Macauley Southam-Hales on free transfers.

The news comes as centre-back James Wilson leaves the club by mutual consent.

Kilgour, 27, joined the Stags from Rovers in January 2023 but much of his time at the club was disrupted by long-term injury after rupturing his Achilles tendon the summer after he signed.

He made 46 appearances for Mansfield in total, with 17 during the last campaign awhen he was in and out of the squad.

The Bath-born centre-half joined Bristol Rovers aged seven and went on to play 118 games after progressing from the academy to the first team.

He previously worked with boss Darrell Clarke during his first spell at the club.

"It feels absolutely amazing to be back," Kilgour told the club website.

"I class Bristol Rovers as my home, so it's good to be back home for sure.

"It's a fresh start and it is new beginnings, and some might even say there is a bit of unfinished business."

Head coach Clarke added: "It was a little under 10 years ago that I included Alfie in a Rovers squad for the first time, while he was still with our Under 18s.

"He has developed into an excellent player who still has room to get even better, and I am excited that he has come home, and we have the chance to work together again."

Full-back Southam-Hales moves to the Memorial Stadium on a two-year deal after rejecting an offer to stay at Stockport County.

The 29-year-old, who is the third defender to move to the club after Jack Sparkes joined earlier this week, played more than 100 games for County since joining in 2020.

He helped them win promotion from the National League in 2022 and League Two last year, before reaching the League One play-offs last month.

"I heard about the interest, and there are some links to Stockport with some of the staff up there who were here," Southam-Hales said.

"They spoke highly about Bristol Rovers, and I really can't wait to get going and get down here.

"I met the gaffer and took to him immediately. It was really eye-opening to see the project going on behind the scenes and where the club wants to go and the ambition and the training facilities," he added.

Rovers director of football Ricky Martin said Southam-Hales had some of the "best" character references he had ever received from other players and coaches.

"Which speaks to the type of person we are bringing to the club," Martin said.

"He is very attack-minded, will look to get on the front foot, and will suit the playing style that we want to implement this season."


Wilson's departure follows a decision by the club to trigger a one-year extension in his contract last month.

The 36-year-old, who won a cap for Wales in 2013, played 80 times for Rovers after arriving from Plymouth Argyle in 2023.

He started all 46 of the club's League One matches last season and scored three goals for the club over his two-year spell.

"Everyone at Bristol Rovers would like to thank James for all his efforts during his time with the Gas and wishes him well in his future career," a club statement read.

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Bristol Rovers have signed experienced midfielder Josh McEachran on a two-year deal after his contract with Oxford United expired.

The 32-year-old started his career with Chelsea and had spells at Brentford, Birmingham City and MK Dons before a move to the U's in 2023.

McEachran, who made 12 appearances in the Championship last season, is Rovers' fifth signing of the summer transfer window.

"Having met the gaffer it became clear that this was a project I was really excited about and something that I wanted to be a part of," he said.

"I am really excited to be here and will give 110 percent every game, coming here in previous years, The Mem has always been a really tough place to visit and I'm looking forward to playing here and giving my all for these fans."