Bristol Rovers assistant manager Paul Raynor insists the League Two club are “not kicking Luke Southwood out the door” as the Northern Ireland international looks to secure a number one position ahead of next season.

Southwood made 22 league appearances for Rovers last season after joining from Bolton Wanderers but then lost his place to Brad Young.

Steve Evans’ Rovers – which included Northern Ireland’s Kofi Balmer – won 11 and lost one of their last 14 matches of the campaign to finish on a high.

Earlier this month, boss Evans told BBC Radio Bristol that Southwood “continues his conversations with two or three different clubs” with the 28-year-old allowed to pursue other opportunities.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Luke Southwood. (Photo by William Cherry/Presseye)

Southwood was omitted from Northern Ireland’s squad for their World Cup play-off semi-final trip to Italy in March with Josh Clarke, who was on loan at Partick Thistle, preferred alongside Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Conor Hazard and Pierce Charles.

Michael O’Neill recalled Southwood for June’s friendly double-header against Guinea and France – the ex-Cheltenham Town shot-stopper was introduced at half-time of the former as Northern Ireland won 1-0 in Spain.

Southwood has earned two international caps – he made his debut in a friendly win over Luxembourg in March 2022 – and has been named on the bench 38 times.

A positive move would boost Southwood’s chances of continuing to be involved in O’Neill’s squad ahead of the Nations League, but Raynor is clear he’s not being forced out – and could even remain at Rovers.

Southwood has featured in pre-season friendlies against the likes of Leicester City, Portsmouth and Forest Green Rovers amid uncertainty over his future.

"That's if they get him,” Raynor told BristolLive. “If he keeps playing like that, there's no reason why somebody would get him.

"He's done ever so well, but his attitude from day one has been absolutely spot on.

"He took it on the chin when we put Brad in. He was very, very professional. He wants to play football, fair play to him.

"We've said to him that if he gets an opportunity to go and play football, that's what he wants to do, we've respected that.

"If nobody comes in for him, we're not kicking Luke Southwood out the door.

"We'd be happy if he stays. If he goes, good luck to him. If he's playing regular football, good luck to him.

"But if he's in and around here, we certainly won't be too disappointed."

Evans would also be keen to keep Southwood at the club and insists Rovers are under no pressure to sell.

"We would keep Luke Southwood every day of the week, as we would have kept Jed Ward, and we were under no pressure to move those two goalkeepers out,” said Evans. "Both were told that if they decided they wanted to stay and fight Brad Young, they could stay and take that fight on, and it was up to them.

"So there was no pressure on the budget or pressure on me. In fact, I think there were conversations at the board level where it was ‘shall we keep them?’”.