Joey Barton says Bristol Rovers have been in the business of "quality over quantity" in the transfer market this summer with the manager forced to play the waiting game.
Barton has his eyes on several additions before the window closes on September 1 – with up to seven acquisitions mooted – but it has been 25 days since Rovers last confirmed a signing – their fourth of the summer in the shape of free agent striker John Marquis. That delay has prompted some concern among supporters with Barton's squad light in some areas, although the core of his promotion-winning team remains as they step up to League One.
With just a day remaining until the season kicks off against Forest Green Rovers at the Mem, Barton admitted in previous years he would be frustrated by the slowdown in transfer activity, but for now, he is comfortable with his position and he is ready to strike when opportunities arise.
"We have to be patient," he said. "Normally, I would be laying eggs at this point. In my first two or three seasons, I would be laying eggs. We’ve taken quality, not quantity.
"I don’t want to tell you anything until it’s done and I don’t like talking about other players. I just think it’s bad etiquette to do that. We’ve got a number of irons in the fire but we’ve got to get value for money in the marketplace and value for money in our marketplace, unfortunately, comes at the back end of the window.
"Every agent has got four or five options because the market’s still open and they’re going ‘These might sign you. Do you want to sign for Bristol Rovers? But I’ve got this club in the Champ that might sign you?’ All of a sudden, when squads start tightening up and people start taking options off the board, the bulls*** from the agent disappears.
"Every player in League One who has done quite well is getting told there is a Championship club interested in them. Every player in the Championship who has done quite well is getting told a Premier League club is after them. Everyone in the Premier League who has done well is getting told there is someone in the top six or eight that’s after them. Everyone in the top six is hearing the Champions League teams are after them, and it’s the same in League Two and the Conference.
"You have to go through this dance every year and then the market settles down and you get the business done."
The loan market has been fruitful for Barton in recent years, particularly last season with several loanees playing starring roles as the Gas finished third in League Two. Elliot Anderson, Connor Taylor, Luke Thomas, James Connolly and Sion Spence all made telling contributions throughout the season.
Loans will be an area of focus for the Gas again, but that sector of the market is moving slowly before an expected rush in the final month of trading, with parent clubs yet to decide the next steps for their young prospects until the season gets underway and squads are cemented.
Barton believes his record of developing young players should attract top clubs to send their top talent to BS7 to hone their craft, and he made clear he would welcome them with open arms.
"The key thing for us is we’ve got to bring it in on our budget," he said of Rovers' recruitment strategy. "Last year we could take a few risks because we had a turnover of players. By the end of the two windows, I think it was 20-odd out and 20-odd in. We don’t need the same root-and-branch this year.
"Yes, we do need to upskill and replace some of the key players from last year that we’ve lost. It’s difficult to do that. How are we going to replace Elliot Anderson? Unless you give me £10-15million, it’s going to be tricky to take a winger like him and the fact he started for Newcastle against Benfica the other night shows he’s jumped a number of divisions.
"So I’m hoping everyone like Chelsea and anyone else who has got any half-decent young players who they want to get in their first team, don’t put them in your 23s, send them down here to us. We’ll give them a platform to show how good they are and you’ll get a better player back than what you gave us.
"Every player we take on loan gets better. We’re getting more and more trust off bigger clubs because you can imagine if you’re Newcastle or Stoke or one of those bigger sides, if you’ve got good young players you’re likely to lend them to us because we’ve done a good job for you."
Barton stated earlier this month he wants to make additions in each third of the pitch by the end of the window, with up to seven incomings anticipated. He reiterated that number in Thursday's press conference.
Rovers are pushing for the return of winger Thomas after his year on loan from Barnsley, with centre-back Taylor and attacking midfielder Luke McCormick also of interest. Midfielder Jordan Rossiter, versatile defender James Gibbons, centre-half James Connolly and number nine Marquis are those who have already joined.
For now, though, Barton is having to show patience, but he insists he is poised to move quickly when required.
"We’ve got to explore the marketplace," Barton said. "We’ve got permanents that we’re trying to do and we’ve got loans we’re trying to do. When it’s good players, you’re not the only people in for them and if there are people higher up the food chain in for them, they’re naturally going to hold a bit of fire to see as the market flushes out whether they can get those moves or not.
"Unfortunately, we have to wait for those divisions to shake out. When you’re a manager of Real Madrid, Barcelona or Man City or Liverpool, one of the major powerhouses, then you become the SAS and you say ‘We want him’ and you get him.
"When you’re not and you’re Bristol Rovers manager, unfortunately, you have to wait for the teams further up the food chain to shake out what they don’t need and they don’t want, and you just stand there with your catcher’s mitt on waiting for them to drop out and you’ve got to make sure you’re on the right ones.
"We haven’t got all the pieces of the jigsaw here, but we’ve got enough pieces of the jigsaw to win the opening two games and that is the focus at this moment.
"We will improve, we will sign players, there’s no doubt about that, but unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to go and pay £1.5million for a full-back from Leeds or £500,000 to pay for a centre-forward from Accrington like some of the clubs who have bigger budgets than us.
"Last year, we had one of the biggest budgets and we were a big boy in that division. This year, we’re not."
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