Gavin Baldwin: Doncaster Rovers hoping to do majority of transfer business before start of pre-season

Chief executive Gavin Baldwin says Doncaster Rovers are aiming to get the majority of their transfer business done by the end of next month.
Gavin BaldwinGavin Baldwin
Gavin Baldwin

Rovers know only too well the benefits of swift and decisive action in the transfer window after their pro-active work last summer laid the foundations for the club’s promotion success.

And Baldwin, speaking to our sister paper The Yorkshire Post, has said there is a determination to be equally efficient as Rovers prepare for a return to League One.

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Baldwin said: “The lads come back [for pre-season] on June 26 and we would hope to have the squad together by then.

“If not, we would want just a couple of additions after that. But we are working at having all the players in by the 26th. It might not happen, but we will have the majority in by then.

“We learned about how much that benefited the team last year and will try to replicate it again.

“Getting promoted early was really fortunate. It means that we sat down weeks ago and spoke about what the squad needs to look like next year.”

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Boss Darren Ferguson will be backed by a “generous” budget, according to Baldwin.

And he says the Scot will be targeting not just players who can help the club push on in League One but also make the potential step up to the Championship.

Baldwin said: “Darren has identified five or six positions we’d like to fill to bring some added depth and that is exactly what we are doing.

“We are already having some really good conversations with players and their clubs.

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“We have clearly identified targets who we are talking to now and making progress with.

“The vision of the club still (ultimately) remains to be a successful Championship club. The funds that the owners have made available for next year is again generous.

“The emphasis is on myself and Darren to recruit well and prepare the team for every game. If we do that, we have a good chance of success.”

He added: “Our recruitment will be specific to doing very well in League One next year, but should we be fortunate enough to get to the Championship, we would want those players to be with us there as well. We are looking at a mix of loans and contracted players and extending contracts.

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“Within the squad, there are players with different lengths of contract and we have to find players that we would want to retain if we should be fortunate enough to make the Championship.”

Ferguson said last week he was close to landing a left back and a Premier League striker on loan.