A "race" is on between Bristol Rovers and Stockport County to sign Wigan Athletic defender Luke Robinson, reports suggest.
The 20-year-old left-back is available for loan and the Gas and Stockport are eager to sign him, according to Football Insider. The same outlet linked Rovers with Robinson in January when manager Joey Barton declared his interest in signing a left-sided defender to bolster his options.
Birkenhead-born Robinson would stay at Wigan with manager Leam Richardson unwilling to reduce his resources midway through the season. But the Scotland youth international made just 10 appearances last season and after the Latics promotion to the Championship, his playing chances could be limited further.
Since the end of the season, Rovers have agreed new terms with Trevor Clarke, while they also have Nick Anderton and Josh Grant as players capable of playing on the left side of the defence, however it could still be an area of interest for Barton with Clarke and Grant missing chunks of last season with injury, and while Anderton is dependable, he is more at home in a back three.
Robinson has made 34 appearances for Wigan since graduating from the club's academy, featuring regularly in the 2020/21 season when a ramshackle team staved off relegation amid turmoil off the pitch.
Football Insider reports Wigan rejected loan bids from the Gas and Leyton Orient in January. Bristol Live understands the Gas were keen to sign Celtic left-back Adam Montgomery at that time, but they were gazumped by Aberdeen on January deadline day. Montgomery joined Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone on loan earlier this week.
The Gas have made three additions this summer in the form of free agents Jordan Rossiter and James Gibbons and six-figure signing James Connolly from Cardiff City after a hugely impressive loan spell. Out-of-contract star Antony Evans has also been secured on a three-year contract.
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