Bristol Rovers are set to secure the services of Chippenham Town defender Dan Ellison, following his impressive breakout season in the National League South last season.
The 19-year-old is reportedly closing in on a permanent switch to the League One side after the two clubs agreed a fee for his services, with Rovers beating two Championship sides in the race to secure his signature ahead of the 2024/25 League One campaign.
How did Ellison fair last season?
Ellison broke into the Chippenham Town side last season at the age of 18 and made 30 appearances in the National League South for his side, starting 27 of those.
During that time, Ellison scored four goals for the football club and earned a call-up to the England ‘C’ team last month, featuring during an international friendly against Nepal.
However, journalist Dan Hargraves has confirmed that Ellison trained with Bristol Rovers towards the end of the 2023/24 season, creating a possible motive for the transfer.
Which other clubs had been monitoring Ellison?
Despite training with Bristol Rovers, Ellison attracted the interest of numerous EFL sides ahead of the 2024/24 season. According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Bristol Rovers have beaten League One side Reading and Championship duo Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday to his services.
Ellison is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the National League South side, but he will instead be joining League One Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee
What will Ellison bring to Bristol Rovers?
At 19, Ellison is fresh from an exciting debut season within men’s first-team football and will bring an increased sense of confidence and youth to the League One side this summer.
The defender has already attracted Championship interest, which will likely give Bristol Rovers an increased sense of confidence that if he does do well, there is a possibility of a financial bonus further down the line for all parties.
There has been no mention on the fee as of yet, but a deal has reportedly been agreed between Bristol Rovers and Chippenham Town, with the deal close to being finalised.