Bristol Rovers missed out on signing Jonson Clarke-Harris by seconds on deadline day last summer
On deadline day last summer, the 29-year-old was expected to return to the Mem three years after leaving for Posh for £1.25 million, an amount that would have broken Rovers’ club record and being estimated to be about £800,000.But the transfer fell through before the deadline, thus Clarke-Harris stayed with Peterborough.
Barry Fry, the director of football at Posh, stated in December that Rovers had shown their disinterest in signing the striker, and it seems that this is still the case ahead of the January transfer window.
The Gas signed Matt Taylor in place of Joey Barton following the failed transfer, and they want to devote a significant portion of their summer efforts on acquiring young players who have the potential to become valuable assets.It is understood that Rovers have no intention of re-signing Clarke-Harris, despite Taylor’s insistence that experience will also be crucial to striking a good balance.
The striker was reportedly offered the chance to sign for Charlton Athletic, a team in League One, in January, but he declined the offer despite receiving little playing time at London Road as a result of Posh’s shift in focus on developing their youth.
The 29-year-old, who is currently available on a free transfer, managed to score 13 goals this season despite playing less than 2,000 minutes of football in all competitions. Though even if Rovers were to continue to resist an interest, it is understood that the weekly wage Clarke-Harris will want is unaffordable.
Although Chris Martin is now the only recognised option for the club following John Marquis’ release, signing a striker will still be a top goal for the Gas this summer. After being recruited as a free agent to replace Clarke-Harris, the 35-year-old had a fantastic season for Rovers, netting 16 goals in the league. However, Taylor acknowledged that he was obliged to use the striker excessively due to a lack of choices.
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