Joey Barton expects a relatively quiet transfer window for Bristol Rovers when it opens in a month's time, although he predicts there will be arrivals and departures from the Mem in January.
Dozens of players have come and gone from BS7 across the summer transfer windows Barton has overseen, but January 2022 saw minimal – but crucial – additions in this shape of James Connolly and Elliot Anderson, who played pivotal roles in Rovers' promotion to League One, as well as Ryan Loft, who has shined this season.
The Gas manager expects to follow a similar plan when trading resumes in the new year and, of course, he will hope for similar rewards.
He believes his squad is one or two players short, and he expects a similar number to move elsewhere, although he indicated recruitment plans are not finalised and they will be shaped by the weeks leading into Christmas.
"I don’t know what’s available," he said at Wednesday's press conference. "It’s a strange window, January.
"For me, it will be a couple of people going out and a couple of people coming in. That’s always ideal, slight tweaking, it’s just natural for every January.
"Wael (Al-Qadi) has been superb in his support and just chatting around some of the targets that could be available in January, he’s keen on producing a really good team for the football club and his support has been incredible since we’ve been here.
"We’re always looking to evolve and move the group forward. If January presents an opportunity to do that, I think we’ll do that.
"I expect it won’t be masses of changes because we only need a bit of adjustment, but there will be lads here who haven’t played enough and will naturally want to go out and play from the start."
Barton was asked if any of his players had discussed their futures with him or had expressed a wish to leave in January.
"Not as yet, but you usually tend to feel that," he said. "Naturally, it’s the lads who haven’t been playing from the start and haven’t been getting on.
"It won’t be the ones we really want to keep, Aaron (Collins) isn’t coming and saying ‘I want to get out in January’. It will be lads who are frustrated at the minutes they are getting but as of yet, we haven’t had anybody, albeit we’ve come off the back of two cup games and there have been changes to the team.
"I imagine the next block of games up until the window opening in January, it will start to firm up and people will explore pastures new."
The Gas have opened talks with Scott Sinclair's representatives in hope of extending the winger's stay at the Mem beyond the end of his short-term contract, which expires in January. The 33-year-old, who rejoined his boyhood club in October, has two goals in seven appearances.
"No, not as yet," Barton replied when asked if there was an update on Sinclair's future. "We’ve started discussions with him and his agent, so no doubt that will unfold in the next couple of weeks."
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