During the summer transfer window, other clubs may target three Gills players.
In an attempt to start a promotion challenge the next season, Gillingham will be aiming to bolster their roster following a disastrous 2023–24 campaign.
While new players are anticipated at Priestfield, certain members of their current team could be targets for other teams during the summer transfer window.
These three athletes have the potential to draw a lot of interest this summer.
Dom Jefferies
Dom Jefferies would likely come up while evaluating the Gills team and selecting the guy with the biggest potential. Over the past two seasons, the midfielder has been a vital member of the Gills team, playing both out wide on the left wing and through the middle.
With his hard-running approach and good play in possession, Jefferies has been a genuine asset to the squad in both roles, always being one of the first names on the team sheet when he’s eligible for selection.
Despite an injury that limited his playing time last season, the former Brentford player is still a crucial part of the Priestfield puzzle. But it looks like his time at the club may be running out.
Higher up the football pyramid, clubs have taken notice of Jefferies’ talents, and now that his contract is up for renewal this summer, he finds himself in the fortunate situation of being free to decide what to do next.
Since Jefferies drew interest from Scottish Premiership team Hibernian early in the season, there are sure to be more bidders waiting.
If he does agree to a new contract at Priestfield, Mark Bonner, the new manager of the Gills, will have a new addition. However, the wise counsel is that Jefferies will most likely be playing for a different team the next time we see him in EFL action.
Conor Masterson
Although Jefferies is probably the most probable first-team player to leave Priestfield, center-half Conor Masterson, who has been among the team’s best players ever since joining ME7, is another player who might draw transfer interest.
Before signing a full-time contract with the Gills in July 2023, the 25-year-old Irishman had two enjoyable loan stints at Priestfield from Queens Park Rangers in 2022 and 2023. Since then, he has been a stalwart of the backline.
Masterson has been a mainstay in the Gillingham defence, so much so that his unexpected decline in play after former manager Harris was fired last season caused quite a stir among the Gillingham supporters. However, Masterson quickly found his game again, finishing with six goals to tie for the second-most goals scored by the team.
Although Masterson is still bound by his contract at Priestfield, the former Liverpool defender has shown that he is capable of playing at a higher level while playing for the Kent club, and incoming Gillingham manager Bonner will be hoping that this happens.
But this summer, a team from a higher tier might make an approach. If the offer was substantial enough, owners Brad and Shannon Galinson, along with managing director Joe Comper, might consider using the proceeds from the sale to invest more money in the Gills’ most obvious need—improving the team’s front end.
Scott Malone
After being added to the transfer list earlier this month, Scott Malone’s playing career at Priestfield is far from assured.
The 33-year-old has a wealth of experience having competed in the Premier League, all three EFL levels, and he demonstrated throughout parts of the previous season that he can have a significant impact on the squad.
Malone’s first-team involvement began to decline, though, with a managerial shift that saw Harris leave and Stephen Clemence take over, with Clemence favouring the younger Max Clark for the left wing-back position.
Malone’s leadership and experience might still be a great asset in Bonner’s revamped Gillingham team, but the club’s transfer listing indicates that he is most likely going to play elsewhere. It’s highly probable that a player with his level of experience will have plenty of suitors, so if he decides to move on, he’ll find employment sooner rather than later.
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