Highly-rated Irish player Liam Scales is set to sign for Bristol Rovers.
According to the Irish Sun, the UCD central defender will reject a contract offer from Manchester City to complete the move to League One Bristol Rovers.
Along with teammate Neil Farrugia, Scales went on trial with the Premier League champions back in April. The 20-year-old impressed during the stint with Man City and the club are understood to have monitored his performances at the Toulon Tournament earlier this month, where he was part of Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland under-21 side
However, Scales is said to have rejected a contract offer from Pep Guardiola’s team in favour of a transfer to League One, as he would have been part of City’s under-23 team. The report claims that the defender has been assured by Bristol Rovers’ Irish manager Graham Coughlan that he will be in the first-team for the upcoming season.
Scales will become the fourth player to leave UCD this summer. Farrugia and Gary O’Neill joined Shamrock Rovers and Conor Davis has signed for Derry City.
The defender joined UCD from Arklow Town in 2015. He went on to make 88 appearances for the Students and helped them earn promotion to the Premier Division last year.