The players who could leave Bristol City this summer and why The next transfer window could be a big one for the Robins The upcoming summer transfer window is likely to be an important one for Bristol City. The Robins are still in with a chance of taking a place in the Premier League next season as they sit in seventh place, one point off sixth spot. Last summer was a busy window with several key departures as Lee Johnson strengthened his squad in order to become play-off challengers. Another clear-out could well be on the cards as we enter the final months of the current campaign, and we’ve looked at some of the players who could be on their way out if that were the case. Bobby Reid Bristol City’s top goalscorer has predictably been the subject of lots of transfer speculation following his outstanding season for the Robins this season. The midfielder-turned-striker has scored 19 goals - and leads the way in the Championship. Back in 2016, Reid signed a new two-year contract with the option for a further year in the club's favour. He has been offered a new deal but is yet to sign. This means that Bristol City could well run the risk of letting Reid go on a free transfer in 2019 or sell him during the summer window with a host of Premier League interest. City will want him to sign a new contract as soon as possible to push on with the development of the club in recent seasons. Luke Steele The goalkeeper arrived from Panathinaikos in Greece on a free transfer in the summer but hasn’t been able to oust Frank Fielding of his number one jersey. Like Bobby Reid, Steele also has an option in his contract for a further year in the club's favour. The former Manchester United goalkeeper has played just ten games in all competitions for the Robins this season, keeping three clean sheets. With six of those appearances being as a result of injuries or suspensions to Fielding. The 33-year-old may decide to leave the club and seek a new one where he can be guaranteed football week in week out. Gary O’Neil Gary O’Neil has had an injury-ridden spell as a Bristol City player. He signed from Norwich on a free transfer in the summer of 2016 on a two-year deal and started last season captaining the side and made 30 appearances in total before some niggling injuries meant that his season came to a premature end. This season has been another injury-ravaged one. The one-time England U21 international has played just 54 minutes of league football all season, without starting once. It’s a possibility that Johnson will want to offer the former West Ham midfielder a new contract based on O’Neil being a player with lots of experience with 215 Premier League appearances and winning promotion from the Championship on four separate occasions. But with the likes of Korey Smith, Marlon Pack, Josh Brownhill and even younger players such as Liam Walsh and Joe Morrell that Johnson will wish to give more minutes too, it's possible that the midfielder could depart in the summer. Scott Golbourne The 30-year-old Bristolian has spent the season on loan in League One with MK Dons but hasn’t played since New Year’s Day due to a hip injury. It became clear towards the end of last season and his loan departure this season that the left-back doesn’t play a large part in Lee Johnson’s plans for the future of Bristol City. With his contract running out at the end of the season and there already being lots of competition for left-back – Joe Bryan is considered by many as one of the best left-backs in the division and has been the subject of plenty of Premier League transfer speculation; Hordur Magnusson has proved himself as an able replacement and looks to be on his way to the World Cup in the summer as Iceland’s first choice left-back and Lloyd Kelly has proven to be more than able cover at left-back in recent weeks, as well as solid performances for England U20 – it looks very unlikely that Golbourne will be offered new terms at Bristol City. Gustav Engvall The striker has headed out on loan to his native Sweden to Gothenburg on loan this week, the side where the Robins purchased the striker from in the summer of 2016, for a fee believed to be around £1.4m. It’s fair to say as of yet that Engvall hasn’t quite lived up to the high price City paid for the then 20-year-old. The Sweden U21 international has played just nine times for Bristol City in his career – just four times in the league, none of which have been starts – and is yet to score a goal for the Robins. Since signing, Engvall has had two loan spells back with Djurgardens with relative levels of success that have shown Bristol City fans glimpses of promise – last season he scored ten goals and got eight assists in 29 games in Sweden. At the end of this season, Engvall will only have one more year left on his contract so Johnson could look to make a decision this summer. Matty Taylor The 26-year-old striker signed for Bristol City from Bristol Rovers in a controversial deal in January last year for around £300,000. He has been unable to find the same scoring boots in south Bristol as he did in the north – he’s scored 3 goals in 35 games for City compared to 68 in 132 for Rovers. Similarly to Gustav Engvall, Taylor’s contract with the Robins runs out at the end of next season, so again, Johnson will have a decision to make. Will he want to cash in on him now or risk losing him for free next summer? Or even look at offering him a new deal to prevent him leaving for a nothing next year. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/players-who-could-leave-bristol-1407965
I thought Taylor was injured - which is why he hasn’t played recently? I like him and I think we could play him behind the front 2 as a ‘feeder’ from an attacking midfield position. He has excellent vision. Trouble is; who would give way to him? Anyway, what we want is irrelevant if they won’t sign.......
