Doncaster Rovers working to avoid threat of large scale player turnover in future summers

A total of 11 player contracts are set to expire this summer, though offers have been made to more than half.

Chief executive Gavin Baldwin says the length of the deals that have been offered should ensure there are fewer players reaching the end of contracts at the conclusion of each season.

And he revealed the club will also be looking to open talks with certain players who still have time to run on their deals over signing extensions.

“We have already been addressing that with the contract offers that we have made,” Baldwin told the Free Press when asked about stopping the potential for turnover of players.

“When you look at the drop off of players when the contracts are given, you are likely to have a drop off of five or six players at the end of each season.

“That enables us to keep the squad fresh but also helps us maintain stability.

“That has always been our preferred position and one that we were working towards before.

“However that is our declared intent again.“Every offer we are giving is on a matrix so we can look at the drop off of contracts and make sure it’s more than a consistent flow rather than it being all in one year.

“It is equally as unhealthy to have all players contracted for next season because the manager may want to freshen it up and bring in other players to do that.”

The club has been seeking to reduce the number of contracts ending each summer for several years but have stated the departures of managers Darren Ferguson and Grant McCann in successive closed seasons, followed by the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, have hampered their attempts.

As well as dealing with contracts, Baldwin says Rovers will be looking to cement their preferred vision for the make-up of the squad.

He said: “Following this COVID-19 year, we also intend to go back to our original criteria: a squad of 22 which is supported by 3-5 development players and boosted by a limited number of high-quality loan players.”

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