The seven Bristol Rovers youngsters trying to stake a claim on tour with Joey Barton's squad

With an intensive schedule and multiple sessions each day, there are few better opportunities for young players to impress their manager than a pre-season training camp, and several Bristol Rovers youngsters are hoping to stake a claim this week.

The Gas are midway through their stay in Vilamoura, Portugal, with Joey Barton and his staff putting the players through their paces as the new League One season edges closer with places in the squad still up for grabs.

Barton showed last season he is not afraid to put faith in younger players and there are several who hope to win his trust this week in the Algarve.

The 20-year-old has been in and around the first team for the past year and has made his senior debut, but Jones is awaiting his first league appearance and will be desperate to break through as he enters the final year of the contract he signed after joining from Weston-super-Mare in 2020.

He scored in the EFL Trophy at Exeter City last year and he netted the fifth goal in the win at Melksham last week, and after a stint on loan in the National League South with Bath City, he should be ready to make the step up.

As with all of these players, the move to five substitutions per game works in their favour, but perhaps for Jones more than anyone else due to his versatility. He can play as a winger, wing-back or number 10, and a solid camp in Portugal could advance his cause.

After a cruel knee injury in his first season as a professional, Heal is determined to take his chance at Rovers. The academy graduate has penned a six-month deal, meaning he has limited time to make an impression.

Before his injury last year, the 19-year-old was in contention for a backup left-back role. He impressed in his first game in a