Bristol City consider £1.2m transfer for Alex Scott replacement

Bristol City are said to hold an interest in Oxford United’s Cameron Brannagan, according to social media reports.

Darren Witcoop the Assistant Sports Content Editor for the Sunday Mirror Sports claims the Robins are ‘looking to bolster their squad’ after Alex Scott’s £25m move to AFC Bournemouth. Witcoop added that George Thomason is also a target, and that was originally reported by the Bristol Post.

Branagan started against City in Oxford’s 5-1 Carabao Cup defeat on Wednesday and is a player well known to City. The 27-year-old has been at Oxford for five years and has gone on to make 241 appearances, registering 41 goals and 20 assists.

Oxford would command a reasonable transfer fee as he is under contract at Oxford until the summer of 2025. He signed a three-year deal in 2022 having been close to a move to Blackpool last year, after a reported £1.2m release clause was met. It is unsure after Brannagan signed a new deal whether the clause remains. Brannagan is considered one of Oxford’s best players, and with Liam Manning’s side holding promotion ambitions this year could be reluctant to part with one of their leading men.

Bristol City have looked to Oxford for several of their signings in recent years. Rob Atkinson and Mark Sykes have made moves to Ashton Gate during Nigel Pearson’s tenure, whilst Rob Dickie was at the U’s when he was being watched by the club. He played a total of 101 matches with Sykes, and 93 with Dickie, whilst with Atkinson he played 35 times.

City’s alternative transfer target Thomason meanwhile is five-years younger than Brannagan. The 22-year-old like Brannagan is under contract until 2025 and there is an option from Bolton Wanderers to activate a further year in his contract. He has three goals and two assists across League One, League Two and cup competitions with the Trotters across 73 appearances.

It is unsure how much Nigel Pearson will receive from the £25m sale of Scott to Bournemouth, with some being reserved for finances. The 59-year-old instructed supporters and the footballing public that they