, Ex-Coventry City star Zain Westbrooke free to leave Bristol Rovers

Ex-Coventry City star Zain Westbrooke free to leave Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton has revealed that midfielder Zain Westbrooke is free to leave the Memorial Stadium.

Zain Westbrooke made a surprise move to Bristol Rovers last summer, leaving Coventry City after he impressed in their promotion-winning 2019/20 campaign.

Last season, Westbrooke featured 48 times for the Gas, netting three goals and providing eight assists as they were relegated to League Two.

Now, after 12 months with the club, it has been revealed that the former Chelsea and Brentford youth player is free to leave before the end of the month.

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As revealed by Joey Barton, Westbrooke is surplus to requirements with the fourth-tier side.

Speaking with Bristol Live, Barton admitted that the central midfielder is surplus to requirements while discussing his absence from the Gas’ defeat to Stevenage.

Here’s what he had to say on the matter:

“Zain‘s somebody who I think needs a fresh challenge and a fresh start.

“He’s obviously picked up a little bit of a niggle from the game and we can’t ask him to go out and play when he might be surplus to requirements.”

What could be next for Westbrooke?

The 24-year-old previously impressed in League One, so he could be a shrewd acquisition for a third-tier side this summer. With Coventry, he netted four goals and provided five assists in 41 games.

He struggled to make an impact for Rovers last season, but nobody flourished in a difficult campaign for everyone at the Memorial Stadium.

With Barton stating a new challenge could be best for the midfielder, it will be interesting to see how his situation pans out in the final weeks of the summer window.

Bristol Rovers’ midfield options

Westbrooke mainly operates as a central midfield, but Barton’s 4-2-3-1 system features an attacking midfielder and two defensive midfielders, leaving him either out of position or out of favour.

As it stands, Barton has Sion Spence and Josh Barrett available as options in attacking midfield, while Luke Thomas has also featured in the role.

As for defensive midfielder, Paul Coutts, Sam Finley, Ben Liddle and Josh Grant are the main options.

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