Bristol City compensation gripe amid Kal Naismith to Wrexham transfer rumour

Bristol City Women’s manager Lauren Smith believes the club should be compensated after Brooke Aspin’s move to Chelsea.

Aspin’s move to West London was confirmed on Friday, but she will return to the Vixens on loan for the 2023/24 season. Bristol City are back in the Women’s Super League, but have lost one of their academy graduates to the reigning champions, and have received no financial profit from Aspin’s move.

The 18-year-old signed a four-year contract with Chelsea, which was the first professional deal of her career. Aspin had been a first-team regular for City for the past two seasons, having joined the academy at 14, but because FA rules do not allow for professional deals before 18, Chelsea did not need to pay.

Commenting on Aspin’s move, Smith said: “It’s disappointing that there isn’t a sustainable model in place to ensure that clubs like us, that are proud to develop and support youth players, are supported and compensated in these situations."

"We know how good she is as a player but there’s still more to come and we know that Bristol City is the perfect place to continue her development over the next year."

As for those staying, Abi Harrison signed a one-year contract extension, keeping her at the club until 2025. Fran Bentley, Rachel Furness, Naomi Layzell, Ella Powell, Jess Woolley, Ffion Morgan, Jasmine Bull, Chloe Mustaki and Emily Syme have all signed new deals too.

In other news, social media reports linking Kal Naismith to Wrexham have been dismissed. Naismith is in Austria on a warm weather training camp with the squad, and he is expected to play a huge role in the Robins’ 2023/24 Championship campaign.

The 31-year-old joined from play-off winners Luton last summer, and is one-year in to a three-year deal that expires in 2025. He made 30 appearances in all competitions last season, including appearing 25 times in the league.

Meanwhile, former goalkeeper Lewis Carey has joined Horsham for the upcoming season. The 30-year-old began his career at Ashton Gate, and appeared three times as an unused substitute in the Championship in 2012/13, but later departed for Bromley.

He has since turned out for Tonbridge, Eastbourne, Thamesmead Town, Lewes, and also Cray Wanderers. His move to Horsham will see him play at the Isthmian League Premier Division which is the seventh tier of English football.

Commenting on his move to the official club website, he said: “I just needed a change. It’s as simple as that.

“In football you don’t want to stay somewhere if you think you need to be somewhere different so that’s all it was. There were no fallings out or anything like that, just a change in direction.”