Bristol Rovers have agreed a deal with trialist Ryan Howley following the midfielder’s release from Coventry City, Bristol Live understands.
The 21-year-old played 60 minutes for Rovers in their opening pre-season friendly on Friday night, a 2-1 win away at Chippenham Town, and impressed in the middle of the park.
It is understood that negotiations had begun before the friendly after the Gas had identified the midfielder following his release from the Sky Blues earlier this summer.
Howley is currently in Spain with the Pirates and is expected to be confirmed as a permanent Rovers player in the coming days.
Having joined Coventry at the age of six, the midfielder went on to make eight first team appearances for the Sky Blues, five of which in the Championship, and was part of the matchday squad for the 2023 Championship play-off final defeat to Luton Town.
Two loan spells in Scotland with Dundee and Ayr United in the Scottish Premiership and Championship respectively over the past two seasons offered the 21-year-old his first taste of regular senior football, although both experiences were also hampered by injury.
Howley will add much-needed depth in central midfield, a position that Rovers are still considering adding to further over the course of this summer.
The Gas have already signed Josh McEachran on a free transfer from Oxford United while Kamil Conteh, Isaac Hutchinson and Kofi Shaw are their other natural central options.
The 21-year-old also previously worked with new assistant head coach Rhys Carr at Coventry, who is believed to be a big advocate of the young midfielder.
So far, the Pirates have made six signings this summer, bringing in full-backs Jack Sparkes and Macauley Southam-Hales, centre-back Alfie Kilgour, goalkeepers Luke Southwood and Brad Young and midfielder McEachran.
Rovers also had versatile Aylesbury United left-back Tom Cove on trial at Chippenham but their stance regarding the teenager is currently unclear.
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