Gillingham could be presented with the chance to bring winger Jonny Smith back to Priestfield this summer.
Smith remains under contract at Wigan Athletic, but the League One club have made him available for transfer.
The 28-year-old struggled with fitness at the Gills after a pre-season hampered by injury. He was never able to get his season back on track and ended his loan spell at Priestfield early after suffering a second injury setback.
Smith had managed 40 games the previous year and played a lot of football for Burton before that, so the Gills may consider his season with them as unlucky.
Keeping players fit and injury-free is something manager Gareth Ainsworth knows they need to improve on next season if they want to progress.
When fit, Smith certainly showed how good he could be, with a goal at Newport County in September a testament to that, as he cut in and fired home.
Those injuries sadly meant the Gills were unable to see that quality more regularly, with his final appearance coming at Harrogate Town in January. He needed surgery on a “lower-leg injury” sustained in that game.
Gillingham have at times looked impressive with pace either side of a striker under Ainsworth, and the manager will be casting his eye over what’s available. Smith will no doubt be in the conversation.
The Gills have already released winger Aaron Rowe and another wide player in Lenni Cirino.
Early in the season, Gillingham terminated the contract of another winger, Jack Nolan. He went on to have a brilliant campaign in a struggling Morecambe side, scoring 19 goals in the National League in 40 appearances — the kind of form that first alerted the Priestfield recruitment team to him.
With Smith, the Gills already know what he can offer, and it remains to be seen whether they think he can settle into a new-look squad for next season under Ainsworth.
