Darren Ferguson outlines where he intends to strengthen Doncaster Rovers squad

Darren Ferguson is targeting five or six new players this summer as he prepares Doncaster Rovers for life in League One.
Darren FergusonDarren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson

And the first new player could arrive at the club within the next week.

Ferguson told the Free Press he is well underway with his recruitment plan, having already met with a handful of prospective new signings before the weekend.

“We’re well ahead of the game,” he said.

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“There’s a loan signing pretty much agreed and a left back I hope will be signed this week.

“I’d like to bring in five or six. There’s been six identified.

“Certainly we want a left back, which should be done soon and that would be a permanent deal.

“And then a left centre half, a striker – maybe two – and a couple of midfielders. They are the areas we’re looking at.

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“We’ve identified a striker we want on loan from a Premier League club and we’ll probably have an answer on that in mid-June.

“We need a little bit more pace up front.”

Ferguson began his preparation for next season in earnest earlier this week by snapping up loanee Niall Mason on a permanent transfer from Aston Villa.

Paul Keegan, Gary McSheffrey and Aaron Taylor-Sinclair were all released as they reached the end of their contracts, along with youngsters Joe Pugh and Joey McCormick.

Andy Williams, Harry Middleton, Mitchell Lund, Cedric Evina and Ross Etheridge have been transfer listed.

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Ferguson, who won’t pursue a permanent move for Everton loanee Conor Grant, says midfield will be a key area for recruitment this summer.

“Certainly looking at the last few games of the season, one area we need to improve is physically in the middle of the pitch,” he said. “We weren’t anywhere near good enough.”