Who is Kofi Shaw? The Bristol Rovers star eyed by Brentford FC, Brighton and Burnley | OneFootball

We took an in-depth look at Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw, who is attracting interest from Premier League and Championship clubs.

Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw is reportedly catching the eye of a number of Premier League and Championship clubs after an impressive breakthrough season in senior football.

It is set to be a nervous end to the season for Bristol Rovers, who currently sit 20th in the League One table, just three points above the relegation zone with five games remaining, but the emergence of Shaw has been one of the main positives during an incredibly disappointing campaign at the Memorial Stadium.

Despite the Gas' perilous predicament towards the bottom of the table, Shaw has been trusted to feature regularly in recent months, and it seems his performances have not gone unnoticed, with journalist Alan Nixon claiming that Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley are all keeping tabs on the 18-year-old.

The trio have reportedly scouted Shaw in recent weeks and were again present to watch him in action during Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers as they weigh up a potential summer move.

According to Nixon, the Gas "may cash in" on Shaw in the summer as his list of suitors increases, and the decision could come down to the midfielder, who "will look for the best chance to play and progress".

Kofi Shaw's breakthrough season at Bristol Rovers

Shaw spent time on the books of West Bromwich Albion before joining Bristol Rovers, and he quickly impressed in the youth ranks at the Memorial Stadium, resulting in him winning the club's Under-18 Player of the Season award last term.

As a reward for his strong performances in the academy, Shaw was handed his senior debut for the Gas on the final day of last season as a late substitute in the 2-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic, and his first-team involvement continued at the start of this campaign.

Shaw netted his first goal for Rovers in their 3-3 draw with Tottenham Hotspur U21s in the EFL Trophy in August, and Aston Villa and Leeds United were both said to be tracking his progress in September.

While Shaw was making an impact in the cup competitions, opportunities in League One remained limited for the midfielder, so former manager Matt Taylor allowed him to join National League side Yeovil Town on loan in October, but before he made the move to Huish Park, the Gas tied him down to a new contract to keep him at the club until the summer of 2027.

Shaw quickly became a regular in the Glovers' starting line-up, and aged 18 years and 17 days, he became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer when he got on the scoresheet in the 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool United in December.

Another goal followed shortly after for Shaw as he found the back of the net in the 2-1 defeat at Forest Green Rovers on New Year's Day, but it would prove to be a day of mixed emotions as he also received the first red card of his career later in the game.

After making 16 appearances for Yeovil, Shaw returned to his parent club in mid-February, and while he initially had to wait for his chance, he has started each of the last six league games, but he has not quite been able to help Rovers pull clear of safety just yet, with Inigo Calderon's side losing their previous five matches.

After his goalscoring exploits in the EFL Trophy draw with Spurs U21s earlier in the season, Taylor described Shaw as his side's "best player" during the game and "the shining light from start to finish", and it seems his successor Calderon has been even more impressed by the midfielder.

Taylor seemed reluctant to give Shaw a chance in the league, but Calderon has had no such reservations, and speaking after the 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers last month, the Bristol Rovers head coach was full of praise for the youngster, but he insisted it was important not to put too much pressure on him in the early stages of his career.

"If we are going to say they are going to be the next (Lionel) Messi or (Diego) Maradona then we have a problem, we have to give them time," Calderon said, quoted by the Eastern Daily Press.

"So, I don’t want to give too much credit to Kofi because I want to protect him. We cannot rush things and we have to make sure he enjoys his football.

"But he showed he is a clever player, the penalty was down to his quick thinking and I was hoping if the ball was going to drop to anyone it would be him.

"Physically he is not the strongest player in the world, but he is one of those players who make up for not being the strongest by being quicker mentally and then he has quality on the ball."

It is clear that Shaw is a player with huge potential, which is underlined by the fact that Calderon has started him regularly in recent weeks, despite his side being in a relegation battle, and as speculation over his future gathers pace, Rovers may need to brace themselves for offers from bigger clubs in the summer transfer window.