The November international break is well and truly underway and Bristol City are enjoying a well-deserved gap between fixtures.
Liam Manning’s Robins currently sit tenth in the Championship having picked up 22 points from their opening 15 league games after a busy summer of incoming and outgoings at Ashton Gate.
In total, nine first-team players arrived in South Bristol, including Max Bird and Josh Stokes who City agreed deals for in the January transfer window, as Manning looked to put his stamp on the playing squad.
Six players completed permanent moves away from Ashton Gate, with the likes of Andi Weimann, Matty James, Andy King, Duncan Idehen and Harvey Wiles-Richards all calling time on their spell with the Robins upon the expiry of their contracts.
Additionally, Tommy Conway made the permanent move to Middlesbrough while Dire Mebude returned to KVC Westerlo after a less-than-impressive loan spell in the South West. Furthermore, Taylor Gardner-Hickman joined League One Birmingham City on an initial loan deal with a view to a permanent move to St Andrew’s.
On top of that, Stokes, Jamie Knight-Lebel, Seb Palmer-Houlden and Ephraim Yeboah all remain under contract while being loaned out to Cambridge United, Crewe Alexandra, Dundee and Doncaster Rovers respectively.
There was a common theme regarding the permanent additions to Manning’s squad this summer, with most players penning two or four-year deals, with the option of a further season, which should give City a bit more control when the time comes for them to be moved on.
However, barring loanees George Earthy and Yu Hirakawa, who has been signed with a view to a permanent deal, the Robins have seven first-team players with one year remaining on their current contracts which begs the question of how many will be offered extensions over the coming months.
Senior players Kal Naismith and Nahki Wells are in the final year of their deals with the Bermudan’s last contract extension coming back in December 2022. Naismith put pen to paper on a three-year deal when he joined on a free transfer from Luton Town in the summer of 2022 but has seen his game time limited so far this season.
Mark Sykes is another closing in on the final months of his stay in South Bristol, but his contract includes an option to extend the deal by a further 12 months. The Irish winger has been a regular under Manning both this season and last so City will likely be keen to activate that extension.
Academy graduates Omar Taylor-Clarke and Ayman Benarous are in the final year of their contracts with the Robins. The latter had established himself as one to watch under Nigel Pearson but successive ACLs have stopped him from making a competitive appearance for City in two years.
Stefan Bajic is City’s back-up goalkeeper and has so far been unable to displace Max O’Leary in the Championship while Lewis Thomas has yet to make a competitive appearance having joined the ranks at Ashton Gate as the third-choice stopper.
In terms of players City could look to tie down to new contracts, most supporters would likely be keen to see Wells handed an extension given his impressive form so far this season. The 34-year-old has scored five goals in just over 500 minutes of Championship football to establish himself as the Robins’ first-choice number nine.
Supporters will be pleased to see key midfielders Jason Knight and Joe Williams are still contracted for two more full seasons with the pair seen as important assets for the football club while the Robins hold the option of extending both Rob Dickie and Marcus McGuane’s stay by an extra 12 months.
Of the permanent signings made this summer, McGuane agreed an initial two-year contract, Bird and Stokes penned three-year deals while Scott Twine, Fally Mayulu, Sinclair Armstrong and Luke McNally all signed four-year contracts.
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