Why Doncaster Rovers could still do transfer deals after deadline passes amid Kyle Hurst interest

The winter transfer window slams shut on Monday night at 11pm and for Doncaster Rovers, the expectation is that it will be a fairly quiet final day.

The focus is firmly on outgoings, with manager Grant McCann indicating that there will be no new arrivals to add to the loan captures of Ethan Ennis, Rob Street and Charlie Crew.

Kyle Hurst has not featured for Rovers since the Port Vale game in early January.placeholder image
Kyle Hurst has not featured for Rovers since the Port Vale game in early January.

Bobby Faulkner and Ben Close have already left Rovers, joining Buxton and Eastleigh respectively. Much debate has been made of who, if anyone, will be allowed to leave next. McCann, speaking on Saturday, said: "I'm not expecting my phone to be ringing too much. From our point of view, our squad is settled but there's possibly one or two that could go out."

Kyle Hurst is arguably the most high-profile name among those potentially allowed to move on. He has not featured in the last five matchday squads. The Free Press understands that at least one rival League Two club has been keeping tabs on the winger although it is unknown whether that will materialise into a concrete offer before tonight's cut-off. That club is not understood to be Chesterfield, despite rumours to the contrary late last week.

Of course, there is a caveat to all of this. National League clubs are not subject to the same deadline as their Premier League and EFL counterparts and so they can sign players beyond tonight's deadline.

It means a club operating within the National League, including the North and South divisions, can sign the likes of Hurst or any other Rovers player after today if a deal can be struck.

The deal would obviously have to be right for all parties and would be dependant on the player in question willing to drop down at least one division, as was the case with Close. But the benefit to such an arrangement is that Rovers and the player would not be up against the clock as opposed to doing a deal with a fellow EFL side - something that would need to be thrashed out swiftly.

Other players on the periphery of the first team squad include Zain Westbrooke and Louis Jones.

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