Bristol Rovers are already starting to plan for life in League Two next season.
Joey Barton’s side want to keep hold of defender Pablo Martinez, as per a report by Bristol Live.
Martinez, who is 20 years old, is out of contract this summer but Bristol Rovers are believed to hold an option to keep him for another year.
He is attracting interest and has been watched by QPR and Newcastle United recently, as reported by the Sunderland Echo.
Read: Bristol Rovers want to keep hold of skipper
The Gas are hoping to keep hold of him in preparation for the fourth tier. Barton has said: “It’s something I’ve spoken to Pabs about and we have something that’s in the club’s favour. It’s just whether we give him an uplift on what he’s being paid because he’s only on a couple of hundred quid a week and he deserves more.
“At the moment, I don’t know if you get relegated that anyone gets a payrise but I think certainly Pablo is one to consider. But that’s another point of discussion for the owner and the CEO as to what we do, take up the option or make it a little bit longer.”
Read: QPR transfer target in no rush to leave
Martinez spent time in the academies at Reading and West Bromwich Albion before signing for Bristol Rovers last summer.
He was expected to play for their Under-23’s and spent time out on loan in non-league at Oxford City before breaking into their first-team.
The ex-Wales youth international is being tipped for a bright future in the game and tying him down on a longer deal would be a shrewd bit of business by Barton’s side.
