Rovers' budget 'reasonable' not huge - AlSaeed

Co-owner Hussain AlSaeed outlines Bristol Rovers' summer budget plans

Bristol Rovers co-owner Hussain AlSaeed said manager Matt Taylor will have a "reasonable" budget next season while also targeting a top-10 finish in the league.

Rovers are currently 15th in League One with one game of the campaign remaining, having finished 17th last season.

Kuwaiti businessman AlSaeed acquired a 55% stake in the club in July, while Taylor was appointed in December.

"It's not always the money, sometimes it's really how you recruit," AlSaeed told BBC Radio Bristol.

"This is the budget we’re looking for, not necessarily a huge budget but reasonable for the league [and] to concentrate on the selection, age and potential for the players, plus working with our academy and really taking from our academy.

"We are also introducing a development team that will be working between the academy and the first-team."

Bristol Rovers have made a number of changes behind the scenes with former defender George Friend appointed as their director of football in February.

A new head of recruitment and data and analysis lead have also been hired.

Taylor has won 10 of his 27 league games since coming in after Joey Barton was sacked, and is planning for an exodus of players with a number out of contract this summer.

"He’s [Taylor] working very well and I think this summer this window will allow him to pick more of the kind of players that he has been looking for and we will help him to do that," AlSaeed said.

A club that can progress sustainably

Promotion to the Championship is the long-term aim.

However, AlSaeed indicated there would not necessarily be more money available despite higher expectations next season.

"Our goal for next season is very clear; it is that we would like to build a competitive team that can actually compete in the top 10," AlSaeed said.

"But eventually, three to five years, hopefully that same team could progress further."

Plans are due to be submitted to the council regarding redevelopment of the Memorial Ground to increase capacity, while the club are working to improve their academy to category two EFL status to attract more young talent.

"I think that is the only thing to really progress your club – profit centres, cost centres, and how can you cut your costs and how can you increase your revenue – in order to have a sustained club that actually can go up and stay up," AlSaeed said.