Exclusive: Bristol Rovers in talks to sign Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson

Bristol Rovers are in talks to sign goalkeeper Cameron Dawson on a free transfer with his contract at Sheffield Wednesday set to expire, Bristol Live understands, with the 28-year-old reuniting with his former Exeter City manager Matt Taylor.

Dawson, who has been offered fresh terms by the Owls, was Taylor's number one en route to promotion to League One in the 2021/22 season, playing in 45 of the Grecians 46 league games that term. He then returned to his parent club Wednesday, starting the following campaign in the third tier initially as second choice to David Stockdale but ended up as regular as the Owls were promoted to the Championship via the play-offs.

However, last term the goalkeeper spent most of the campaign as an understudy, supporting loanees Devis Vasquez and James Beadle but did have a spell as first choice from October to January during which he made 18 Championship appearances.

Naturally, the signing of a goalkeeper of Dawson's ilk would prompt questions regarding what it means for Jed Ward ahead of the new season. The Rovers academy product turned 21 last month, making him particularly young for goalkeeping standards, but signed a four-year deal in March and enjoyed an excellent spell as first choice in the second half of last season.

Ward will return to The Quarters for pre-season with two England Under-20 caps under his belt after a productive time away with the Young Lions which capped off his breakthrough campaign perfectly, having made 19 appearances for the Gas as well as playing 19 games in the National League on loan at Wealdstone.

Regardless of what Dawson's arrival does to the pecking order in between the sticks, adding a more experienced goalkeeper was an absolute must for Rovers this summer as Taylor inherited a squad with three 20-year-old shot stoppers, one of which is yet to make his senior debut.

The saga within the goalkeeping department at Rovers stretches back almost a year when Joey Barton made the call to bring in 20-year-old Brentford loanee Matt Cox and make the youngster his first choice ahead of James Belshaw who had been number one the previous two campaigns. The former Gas boss made it clear that he wanted a shot stopper more comfortable with his feet and gave Cox his first opportunity in the men's game.

This eventually led to Barton publicly dismissing Belshaw after the promotion hero requested a transfer and was subsequently left out of Rovers' squads until the summer window closed and no move materialised. The 33-year-old then made two appearances in the EFL Trophy before joining Forest Green Rovers on what has been dubbed 'the longest emergency loan in history.'

It is understood that, following Barton's sacking, then-interim boss Andy Mangan requested to recall Belshaw from Forest Green but it was blocked by those above him at Rovers which eventually led to the goalkeeper returning to former club Harrogate Town, initially on an emergency loan and then a permanent deal, coinciding with Taylor's arrival at the club.

Alongside Cox, Barton also signed another 20-year-old goalkeeper in Matt Hall whose only experience playing against men came in non-league loan spells from former club Southampton at the likes of AFC Totton, Harrow Borough and Melksham Town as well as playing for the Saints' Under-21s in the EFL Trophy against Exeter City. Hall is still yet to play for Rovers almost a year on.

The Sheffield-born goalkeeper started off at Sheffield United before crossing the Steel City to join Wednesday as a youngster in 2012. Loan spells at Plymouth Argyle, Alfreton Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Chesterfield, as well as Exeter, have followed over the years but the move, if completed, would end a 12-year association with the Owls, for whom the shot stopper has made 129 first team appearances.

The Gas are also understood to be set to add former Bristol City centre-back Taylor Moore to their roster ahead of the new season, signing the 27-year-old on a free transfer following his departure from French side Valenciennes in April. Plenty more signings are expected over the course of the summer with plenty of change set to take place at the club.