Bristol Rovers is pleased to confirm the loan signing of centre-back Kofi Balmer from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell.
Defender Balmer will represent the Gas until the end of the 2025/26 campaign and will wear the No17 shirt in the blue-and-white quarters.
The 25-year-old was previously with Premier League club Crystal Palace and earned EFL experience during loan spells with Port Vale and AFC Wimbledon.
“It's great to join Bristol Rovers,” Balmer said. “I came down and saw the training facilities and I was impressed. They’re top quality, and meeting all the lads was good. They’re a great bunch of lads, they’re all welcoming, and hopefully, I'll learn a lot from the experience.
"I’ve played a couple of games at The Mem and the support, as an away player, was brilliant, with the noise. So, to finally be on the home side of it and get to hear them and obviously in their numbers, it’ll be great."
Head Coach Steve Evans welcomed Balmer to Bristol Rovers and is looking forward to working with the defender.
“I am delighted that Kofi has joined Bristol Rovers. There was a lot of interest in Kofi’s signature across England and Scotland, and my thanks goes to Ricky and the recruitment team for their efforts in assisting me in getting him here.
“Kofi is a versatile defender who is calm, composed and comfortable in possession. He has good experience in the EFL and in the Scottish Premiership, and I’m looking forward to working with him. He spoke of having lots to prove and I love kids who have that desire when they come here.”
Born in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, in September 2000, Balmer began his football career with Ballymena United, scoring on his NIFL Premiership debut for the side at 16-years-old in a 1-1 draw with Coleraine in 2017.
The defender would feature in 27 matches in the 2017/18 campaign, followed by 28 in the 2018/19 season; a year which also saw him named the Ulster Young Football of The Year.
Balmer joined Larne in 2021 and played 43 matches in all competitions in a little over a season with the side, along with six in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying stages.
His efforts earned a transfer to Premier League team Crystal Palace where, under the guidance of Patrick Vieira, he earned a place in a Premier League matchday squad on three occasions and made regular showings for the Eagles U21s.
A loan to Sky Bet League One side Port Vale then followed in July 2023, where he made 16 appearances in all competitions, before another loan switch to then-League Two side AFC Wimbledon in January 2024.
Balmer signed for Motherwell in June 2024 and would score for the Steelmen on his debut a month later in a Scottish League Cup fixture. He made 24 appearances in all competitions last season, including 20 in the Scottish Premiership, and has featured nine times so far this campaign for Motherwell in all competitions.
At international level, Balmer was a frequent inclusion in the Northern Ireland U21s and U19s, captaining both teams during his team at the respective age levels, and was first called into the senior set-up in September 2025. He was again called up for full international duty in August 2025.
Everyone at Bristol Rovers would like to warmly welcome Kofi to the Club and wishes him every success during his loan spell.
