Doncaster Rovers must make big transfer call on Sheffield Wednesday & Bradford-linked star | OneFootball

In light of winger Luke Molyneux’s exit, Doncaster Rovers now more so than ever must keep hold of star-man Owen Bailey.

In light of winger Luke Molyneux’s exit, Doncaster Rovers now more so than ever must keep hold of their star-man Owen Bailey.

The Rovers skipper is a midfielder by trade, but applied himself without falter in the Doncaster backline at times last season. It was a campaign of ups and downs, which ultimately ended successfully with a mid-table finish on the club’s return to the third tier of English football.

A new Owen Bailey contract is a must for Doncaster Rovers

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Grant McCann has said in a recent interview that Doncaster are close to securing a new deal with captain Bailey. It would be the best piece of business the South Yorkshire outfit have managed all summer, even with the strong additions of loanee striker Alfie May and starry attacking midfielder Isaac Hutchinson from Bristol Rovers.

Speaking to the club’s in-house media, the Northern Irish manager said: “Owen, we're in discussions with, I don't think we're too far away."

The 27-year-old operator was nominated for the League One Player of the Season award last term, scoring 13 goals and almost single-handedly winning a clutch of games for Doncaster.

At times, Rovers were flirting with the relegation zone, but strong form at the start of the campaign and after the end of the January transfer window did enough.

Both positive spells came in part down to Bailey’s heroics, with the midfielder having one year left on his current deal with the club.Doncaster do have an option to extend the contract by a further 12 months, though with plenty of reported interest from big name outfits in the division, such as Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City, a heftier agreement may be needed to properly tie the Englishman down.

His re-signing is a must, with his abilities almost impossible to replace given his adaptability, consistency, and quality at both ends of the pitch.

Owen Bailey is Grant McCann's Mr.Reliable at Doncaster Rovers

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Bailey is on course to break record after record, being a consistent league performer in the red and white hoops of Doncaster. He played all 46 league games last term, with 16 goals and six assists amassed through 55 all competition appearances.

He did not miss a single league game in the season prior, again featuring in all 46 of the title winning League Two campaign.

His debut term, 2023/24 was even better. He featured 59 times, with two play-off appearances in a heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Crewe Alexandra to add to his 46-game regular season tally.

Bailey is without a shadow of a doubt the first name on McCann’s teamsheet, and has become a top quality League One operator since arriving from non-league Gateshead three summers ago.Without his reliability, the upcoming season could be a topsy-turvy one with eyes glancing down the table towards what is likely to be a tight relegation battle, rather than up it and in the direction of a potential top-half finish.

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The Newcastle United youth product has a club resting on his shoulders. He is the glue that holds the Doncaster squad together, tying together talented forward players with a defence that has had its fair share of shaky moments since promotion from League Two.

Molyneux exiting the club was not a bad thing, when all factors are considered. He had refused a new contract offered by Rovers, and was therefore set to leave for a reduced fee in January or without a cost in 2027.

Bailey has not shown any similar signs. Instead, there have been indications that a new deal may be coming, which would tie the talented midfielder down and secure his future remain in Rovers colours.