Watford striker Alex Jakubiak has secured a Deadline Day loan deal with Bristol Rovers which will see the 21-year-old spend the season with the League One side.
A part of the Hornets’ youth set up since the age of 15, the Scot earned minutes with the first team during the pre-season triumphs over Stevenage and Brentford. However, Jakubiak was unlikely to break into Javi Gracia’s side for competitive matches and will consequently be looking forward to proving his worth with the Pirates.
This is the Jakubiak’s seventh loan spell since signing a professional contract with the Hornets in 2014. He spent the previous campaign at Wycombe Wanderers of League Two and Falkirk of the Scottish Championship, scoring a total of eight goals in 25 league games. The former Scotland Under-19 striker will relish a return to England’s third tier after a mediocre spell with Fleetwood Town in the 2016/17 season.
Jakubiak keen to "kick on"
Speaking to the official Watford website earlier in pre-season, Jakubiak said: “I think I can use the experience I’ve got, not only at Falkirk, to really kick on now.
“I’ve been here a long time now — training with the first team, playing Under-23s football, going out on loan — so now I’d like to settle down and get some minutes.”
Rovers happy with to get their man
Pirates boss Darrell Clarke expressed his pleasure at the signing of Alex Jakubiak in a comment on Bristol Rovers’ website, saying: “We are delighted to have agreed a deal to bring Alex to the club for the season.”
Jakubiak will fill an attacking void for the Pirates after strikers Ellis Harrison and Rory Gaffney departed for Ipswich Town and Salford City respectively.
Clarke added: "Alex has got past EFL experience and enjoyed a successful spell in Scotland last year. He will add to our competition in the attacking positions and we hope to bring the best out of his game during his spell with us.”