Medical scheduled as Bristol Rovers close in on Peterborough United deal | OneFootball

The Gas are set to improve an area of weakness.

Bristol Rovers are close to completing a deal to sign Peterborough United full-back Jack Sparkes.

Darrell Clarke is yet to see his first addition since moving back to the Memorial Stadium, but it might not be too far away. Sparkes, a 24-year-old left-back, is just about set to move to the Gas this summer after just one season with Peterborough, according to Peterborough Live.

He was on loan with League Two side Chesterfield in the back half of the 2024/25 campaign and is now looking likely to be moved out of the Weston Homes Stadium permanently this summer, with Rovers set to be his landing spot.

Jack Sparkes set for Bristol Rovers switch

A medical has been scheduled for early next week, according to Peterborough Live. This could allow the Gas to make other additions before Sparkes is officially unveiled, should everything remain on course between now and then. The fee that Clarke's side will pay for the 24-year-old is currently undisclosed.

Peterborough signed Sparkes from 23/24 third tier champions Portsmouth last summer after he was released by John Mousinho's side. He signed a three-year deal and was described by the Posh's chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, as an "excellent addition to our defensive ranks".

He was initially signed as cover for the injured Rio Adebisi, who Peterborough had not long signed for £500,000 from Crewe Alexandra. MacAnthony later admitted that their move for the ex-Pompey left-back "came from nowhere" and was not budgeted for. He failed to make a strong impact on the first-team before being shipped off to Chesterfield.

Jack Sparkes is a very solid addition for Bristol Rovers

The defender made more than 150 appearances for Exeter City before moving to Fratton Park in the summer of 2023, offering a strong amount of experience for someone of his age. That's on top of the 38 appearances he made for Mousinho in their title-winning campaign, in which Sparkes registered six assists.

He is set to join a Rovers side that suffered relegation last time out and is hoping for a quick return to the third tier. Adding a player with such a strong pedigree in the above division should only help the Gas to get back to that level.

Sparkes' spot on the pitch needed to be improved by Clarke this summer. The trio of options most often used on the left side of the club's 24/25 defensive unit - Bryant Bilongo, Clinton Mola or Lino Sousa - didn't do too much good. Sousa has since returned to parent club Aston Villa, while the other two are still under contract for one and two more years, respectively. The 24-year-old Posh defender will surely be a big upgrade on those three.