Doncaster Rovers: What Gary McSheffrey said about signing another striker following double departure

Rovers have already signed George Miller on a three-year deal and have Reo Griffiths and Kieran Agard under contract for next season, which begins away to Bradford City on Saturday, July 30.

Dodoo had his contract cancelled by mutual consent last month, while Hiwula joined Scottish Premiership side Ross County for a nominal fee after managing just one goal in 25 appearances.

Asked whether he is now back in the market for a striker, Rovers boss Gary McSheffrey said: “Potentially, we have still got a few things to do.

"We have to be quite shrewd in how we do things.

"We can’t just go and get someone that’s there and proven top drawer, that’s going to be huge wages. We can’t do that.

"There’s no real rush, we’ll get the right one when the right one comes along.”

Fejiri Okenabirhie, who was released at the end of the last campaign, will be given a chance to impress during pre-season.

He previously top-scored for Rovers in the 2020/21 season with 11 goals in 39 League One appearances, but has not played since May 2021 due to an Achilles tendon problem.

McSheffrey insisted there were no hard feelings between himself and Dodoo and Hiwula despite their exits.

Both players were brought to the club by former boss Richie Wellens last summer and still had a year left to run on their contracts.

McSheffrey said: "Jordy was never an issue, he's a great lad.

"Luckily for him a club came in that were interested and it worked out well for us as well.

"Joe didn't want to play the way I wanted him to play as a striker.

"Joe feels it's probably a little bit of an insult to call him a target man. He feels he's got more than that.

"We often went in circles. We never ever fell out, I respect him, he's a really nice guy and he'd probably say the same about me. We just saw his role different.”

Dodoo scored four goals in 33 league appearances for Doncaster and managed a further four in the Papa John’s Trophy.

McSheffrey has also signed midfielders Harrison Biggins and Luke Molyneux since the summer transfer window opened.