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Bristol Rovers have signed defender Clinton Mola on a three-year deal following his release by fellow League One club Reading.

The 23-year-old former Chelsea youth player, who has a further 12-month option in his Rovers contract, made 35 appearances in all competitions for Reading last season after joining as a free agent in September.

Mola, an ex-England Under-21 international, had left German side Stuttgart last summer before returning to England, where he also had a previous loan stint with Blackburn in the Championship.

"Clinton is a versatile defender who possesses some fantastic attributes," Bristol Rovers boss Matt Taylor told the club website.

"He has gained some great experience despite being only 23 years of age."

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Bristol Rovers have signed striker Ruel Sotiriou from Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee.

The Cyprus international was due to be out of contract at the end of July but the clubs came to an agreement to avoid the need for a Professional Football Compensation Committee hearing.

Sotiriou has signed a three-year deal with the option for a further season at the Memorial Stadium.

He was Orient's top scorer last season with 12 goals in all competitions.

"Ruel has shown his goalscoring ability in the last few years," said Rovers boss Matt Taylor.

“The challenge now is for Ruel to build on his form and continue to get even better, not just in front of goal but in his all-round game, and we’re looking forward to helping him do that here at Bristol Rovers.”

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Bristol Rovers have signed defender Dan Ellison from National League South side Chippenham Town for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.

The 19-year-old centre-back made 30 appearances for Chippenham in the sixth tier last season, scoring four goals.

"Dan has impressed on his journey in the National League so far and, at 19, has the potential to grow and develop even further," said Rovers head coach Matt Taylor.

“We are looking forward to working closely with Dan and helping him in his progression at the club. The local non-league scene will also continue to be monitored closely as we look to grow links with all clubs near to the Bristol area.”

Ellison came through the Chippenham Town academy and had received interest from a number of clubs according to his former manager.

"He showed good maturity and good aggression to win headers, tackles and a calmness and composure when he had the ball," Chippenham manager Gary Horgan told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

"We were quite optimistic that he could make the step up."

Ellison becomes Rovers' fourth summer signing in four days after striker Ruel Sotiriou, defender Clinton Mola and midfielder Isaac Hutchinson.

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Right-back Joel Senior has become Bristol Rovers’ sixth new face this week after leaving Morecambe to sign a two-year deal.

Senior, 25, featured in all but three of Morecambe’s League Two games last season, scoring once.

He joins midfielder Isaac Hutchinson, forward Ruel Sotiriou and defensive trio Clinton Mola, Dan Ellison and Bryant Bilongo at the Memorial Stadium.

Rovers’ manager Matt Taylor said:, external “Joel has showcased his energy, fitness and talent at full-back in recent seasons and I am looking forward to seeing what he can bring to our squad.

“Having just turned 25, Joel still has the best years of his career ahead of him and I am confident he will get even better with us.”

Senior started out in non-league football and spent a year at Burnley before moving on to Altrincham and Carlisle, helping the U’s to win promotion from League Two in 2023.

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Bristol Rovers have made their sixth summer signing by bringing former Bristol City defender Taylor Moore back to English football.

Moore has signed a three-year deal with the Pirates after a season in France playing in Ligue 2 for Valenciennes.

The deal, which has the option for a further year, is subject to FA and EFL ratification.

The arrival of the former England Under-19 international follows the signings of fellow defenders Joel Senior from Morecambe, Dan Ellison from National League South side Chippenham Town and Clinton Mola from Reading, as well as striker Ruel Sotiriou from Leyton Orient and Walsall midfielder Isaac Hutchinson.

"He is a proven defender at this level, he's at a good age and I believe he will add strength, depth and competition," said Rovers manager Matt Taylor., external

London-born Moore made 60 Bristol City appearances in seven years at the club after starting his career in professional football in France at Lens.

He went out on loan six times in that time - to Bury, Cheltenham, Southend, Blackpool, Hearts and Shrewsbury - before moving to Valenciennes in 2023.

“This is a big stage for me personally in my career," said Moore. "I want to be somewhere I feel settled and really part of the project. The ambition is to build and push on at Bristol Rovers. It really does make this move feel like the right fit.”

"With where the club is at now and where it’s trying to get to, there is a lot of ambition to push up the table in League One as much as possible and eventually become a Championship team."

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Bristol Rovers winger Scott Sinclair has signed a new one-year deal with the League One club.

The 35-year-old has previously played for Chelsea, Manchester City and Celtic in a 17-year career.

Sinclair made his professional debut for the Gas in 2004, before moving to Chelsea the following year, and returned to the Memorial Ground in 2022.

The three-time Scottish Premiership winner has since scored 10 goals in 68 appearances in all competitions.

"I think everyone knows what this club means to me and the special place it holds in my heart," he told the Rovers website., external

"It's mad to think it was 20 years ago this coming December that I made my debut for Rovers at 15 years old.

"To be playing here, wearing this badge and shirt, it means the world to me."


Sinclair made 14 senior appearances for Chelsea before moving to Swansea City in 2010, where he scored a hat-trick at Wembley in the Swans' 4-2 Championship play-off final victory against Reading to win promotion to the Premier League.

He scored 36 goals in 91 appearances for the club before moving to newly-crowned top-flight champions Manchester City in 2012.

But he only made 19 appearances for City and spent time on loan at West Brom and Aston Villa, before moving permanently to Villa in 2015.

Between 2016 and 2020, he won eight trophies at Celtic including back-to-back domestic trebles under Brendan Rodgers, scoring 62 goals in 167 games.

Bristol Rovers begin the new League One season at home to Northampton Town on Saturday, 10 August.

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Bristol Rovers have signed left-back Bryant Bilongo from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Ebbsfleet United, scoring once in 12 appearances.

Bilongo has signed a two-year deal at the Memorial Stadium, with the option of a further year.

He is the club's fifth summer signing, following Isaac Hutchinson, Clinton Mola, Ruel Sotiriou and Dan Ellison to the Gas.

"My career has been such a journey so far and to continue it by signing for such a big club like Rovers is amazing for me and my family," Bilongo told the Rovers website., external

"It's a big achievement and this is a challenge I'm looking forward to."

Rovers begin the new League One season at home to Northampton Town on Saturday, 10 August.

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Milton Keynes Dons have made their seventh summer signing by bringing in Crawley Town midfielder Liam Kelly for an undisclosed fee.

The 28-year-old former Reading, Bath City, Feyenoord, Oxford United and Rochdale player moves on after just one season at Crawley, in which he helped them win promotion back to League One.

"I had an unbelievable season," he said. "Not just me personally but as a team to get promotion. Hopefully, I can use that experience.

"This has been in the works for a while. When I first heard about it, I've been excited to try and get it done.

"The project that's building is clear to see from the outside even when playing against MK Dons last season."

Kelly follows boss Mike Wiliamson's signings of defenders Luke Offord from Crewe, Laurence Maguire from Chesterfield and Sam Sherring from Northampton Town, and fellow midfielders Connor Lemonheigh-Evans from Stockport County and Tommy Leigh and Joe Pritchard from Accrington Stanley.

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Bristol Rovers have signed goalkeeper Josh Griffiths on a season-long loan from West Bromwich Albion.

The 22-year-old has made 13 appearances for the Baggies after joining their academy as a 10-year-old, although he was limited to just three cup games in the 2023-24 season.

The Hereford-born keeper signed a new three-year contract with the Championship side in June.

He had season-long loans at Cheltenham Town and Lincoln City before spending part of the 2022-23 campaign at Portsmouth, making 28 appearances in all competitions.

Griffiths, who joined England Under-21 for a training camp last summer, said the move to the League One side is "a really good fit" for him.

"I’ve had some good conversations with the manager and he has put across his ideas to me, what he wants from the style of play, and those talks went really well," he said.

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Bristol Rovers have signed forward Promise Omochere from Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old has joined the League One club on on a three-year contract with an option of a further year.

He scored 13 goals in his 71 appearances in all competitions for the Fisherman since signing from Bohemians in 2022.

"There is a lot of ambition here. There is a clear plan for myself, coming into the team, and I think the style of play is going to really suit me," Omochere told the Pirates website, external.

"That was one of the reasons that I chose Rovers, in that there is a clear plan. It’s a really exciting move."