Gillingham are being linked with players in Scotland – with reports of one bid being rejected.
The Gills are one of the clubs understood to be trailing 12-goal Northern Irish international striker Ronan Hale, and according to the Daily Record, they’ve had a five-figure sum rejected by his club Ross County.
The Highlanders are struggling this season, and are at the bottom of the Scottish Championship, but it hasn’t stopped Hale from making an impact.
His 12 goals in all competitions have grabbed the attention of numerous teams, and that could mean the Gills facing a battle, as fellow League 2 side Salford City are also reportedly interested in him.
Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell will want to keep hold of the striker in a bid to beat the drop. The forward has another 18 months on his contract.
Belfast-born Hale made his first appearance for the senior Northern Ireland team in the summer, having played for Republic of Ireland at youth level.
He was at Birmingham City as a teenager before moving back home and playing for Crusaders, then onto League of Ireland side St Patrick’s Athletic and returning to the Irish Premiership with Larne. Two years at Cliftonville was followed by a move to Scotland, joining a Ross side in July 2024 who were then an SPL side, agreeing a three-year contract.
He scored 17 goals during their season in the Scottish Premiership, which ended in relegation. Wigan and Reading were reportedly interested last summer but were warned they would need to push the boat out to make a deal happen.
Gillingham’s managing director Joe Comper said earlier this week that they wouldn’t be paying over the odds for any player during the January transfer window.
The club have also just revealed their yearly accounts, which show they are running at a loss and why they are keen to chase success at a sustainable level.
Aberdeen’s Kusini Yengi has also been linked with the Gills and is expected to move this month.
The 26-year-old Australian moved to England in 2023 and spent two seasons with Portsmouth before becoming a free agent and joining Aberdeen. He’s made 11 international appearances and scored six goals.
His only goal for Aberdeen this season came in the League Cup. He scored against the Gills in an EFL Trophy match in October 2023.
Gillingham have extended their scouting in recent seasons and have had former boss Ronnie Jepson operating as their dedicated northern scout. He’s been spotted at games north of the border, too.
The club’s scouting database includes the details of around 10,000 players, with analytics across Europe, Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, which in the summer led them to look at a potential signing from Macedonia, which in the end didn’t materialise.
Closer to home, the Gills have already been linked with Barnet forward Callum Stead.
Mr Comper has reiterated that all signings will only be made at the approval of their manager Gareth Ainsworth, saying this week: “Every Saturday, we’ve got probably eyes on six games at any one time, and it’s a mixture of the analytics, the match reports then some due diligence, and then ultimately a list is created for the manager to pick out of that work.
“No one comes in or out of this building without him saying so.”
Loan defender Travis Akomeah has, according to reports elsewhere, returned to parent club Watford, but the Gills have yet to confirm he’s gone back. They will also be making a decision on the future of Wigan loan winger Jonny Smith.
The Gills worked long and hard over the summer to complete a deal for Smith, signing him late in the window, and appear keen on keeping him at Priestfield.
Injury issues have restricted Smith’s impact for the Gills, but they believe that if they can get him fit, they will have a quality player on the books.
Wigan boss Ryan Lowe said this week: “I know he got injured, but they want to do a deal to keep him for the rest of the season, so we’re aware of that.”
Gillingham’s young forward Damien Theodore has joined Isthmian South East side Hastings United for the rest of the season after ending his time at Hassocks. His new side are playing away to VCD Athletic this Saturday.
*The Gills don’t have a game this weekend and have rescheduled their match against Notts County, which was postponed last Sunday. The new date is Tuesday, February 3.
