"One or two" New Signings Within the First Two Week

Lee Johnson insists Bristol City plan to bring in "one or two" early on in January transfer window
By a_stockhausen

Preston North End defender and Australian international Bailey Wright has been linked with a move to Bristol City


Lee Johnson is confident of bringing in "one or two" new signings within the first two weeks of next year.

The January transfer window officially opens for business on Monday and Bristol City's head coach is on the lookout for a couple of experienced campaigners to strengthen the spine of his team.

A striker and a holding midfielder or central defender feature at the top of his wanted list and chief operating officer Mark Ashton is already engaged in negotiations with various targets.


The requirement is for players who can come straight into the first team and make an immediate difference and, rather than risk waiting until the end of the window when prices tend to become inflated, Johnson and the Ashton Gate board of directors are pushing hard to land their priority targets sooner rather than later.

City's head coach said: "We definitely have targets in mind, that's for sure, and we're in the market, which is good. Certainly, we are in the mix.

"It is never easy to get somebody through the door on January 1, but we hope to have one body at least, if not two, through the door in the first couple of weeks of the window.

"We've never failed to bring someone in during any given window and I think people should have faith in the board, in Mark Ashton and in myself to get the right personnel in to address our imbalances."

In some cases, clubs have already announced deals, which will be officially ratified once the January window opens. Sheffield Wednesday announced the loan signing of West Brom winger Callum McManaman in midweek, but City are unlikely to complete any of their business quite so quickly.

Johnson warned: "Obviously, you would like to get players in at the start of January rather than at the end, because there are six games in the month. If they come in right at the end of the window, that's six games they cannot play in.

"In an ideal world, you get your business done nice and early and bring the players you want in straight away

"But the problem with that is that, any one player that is of interest to one Championship club, will also be interesting 16 or 17 other Championship clubs. You have to make sure you jostle for position to give yourself the best chance.

"Finances come into it, so could location and the player's fitness levels. It could be a loan or it could be a permanent, can the player concerned commit to the cause and is technically speaking what we want?

"It is very important that we don't rush into things because we have a good enough squad here that we can compete at this level. in this league. But if we feel someone can come in and enhance that and help the young players and, if the price is right, then we are in the market for them. If all of those things stack up, we'll take the plunge."

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/lee-jo...nsfer-window/story-30020905-detail/story.html

 

Reinforcements coming in quick and early, that should change attitudes and our performances..

'"We've never failed to bring someone in during any given window and I think people should have faith in the board, in Mark Ashton and in myself to get the right personnel in to address our imbalances."