After one of the most underwhelming campaigns due to the expectation of a promotion push, MK Dons are seemingly in the market for quality additions to aid their prospects in League Two next season.
They have drafted in long-time Rotherham United manager Paul Warne to spearhead their charge for a return to League One after finishing in a disappointing 19th place in the fourth tier.
The club secured a coup by agreeing a deal for Nathaniel Méndez-Laing to join when his contract expires at Derby County, and the Dons now seemingly continue their search for new additions further up the EFL pyramid.
Significant Underperformance in Fourth Tier Campaign
It was only three years ago when MK Dons finished third in League One, with their sights firmly on a place in the Championship, but the club’s fortunes have nosedived ever since.
Relegation from the third tier was confirmed the next season, and despite a fourth-place finish in 2023/24, the team failed to build on that promising campaign despite starting as one of the favourites for promotion.
A leaky defence on the road, coupled with an inability to build on a six-match winning run in November and December, led to MK Dons recording their worst-ever EFL finish since their foundation in 2004 after the split from Wimbledon.
They remarkably had the eighth-worst record for expected goals against, and with several players failing to play to their potential, they deservedly finished in a lower mid-table place.
The disastrous campaign has likely been the catalyst for the early moves in the summer transfer window, with a Bolton Wanderers defender set to become the next permanent face in the door.
MK Dons Move For League One Defender
Gethin Jones has been with Bolton Wanderers since 2020 and has accumulated over 180 appearances for the Trotters.
He has been a key player for the club, playing a starring role in their promotion from League Two in 2021 and also in their EFL Trophy success in 2022/23, scoring the final win over Plymouth Argyle.
However, Jones, who has been capped six times by Australia, is set to depart when his contract expires this summer.
Alan Nixon is reporting that MK Dons are in talks with the defender who appears to be set to join Warne’s new-look squad for the 2025/26 season.
There is no doubt that at 29 years old, the player has the capabilities to play at a higher level than League Two, and it will be something of a coup for MK Dons to secure his signature.
After a less-than-impressive season in the fourth tier, the early transfer business conducted by the club this summer positions them for a likely promotion push.