‘We'll see what happens' - Bristol City boss' honest transfer update amid seven figure budget boost rumours

Bristol City manager Liam Manning faces a huge decision over the future of out-of-favour summer signing Fally Mayulu amid speculation surrounding a potential January switch to Championship rivals Stoke City.

Mayulu arrived at Bristol City to great fanfare after completing a £2.5m move to Ashton Gate from Austrian side Rapid Wien. The 22-year-old, who was once on the books at Wolfsburg at academy level, showed signs of promise with six goals in 22 appearances in the top-flight Rapid Wien and in the season prior to that had showcased potential with BW Linz by firing them to the second-tier title with 11 goals in 30 appearances.

The French striker hit the ground running at Bristol City with an equalising goal from the bench on his debut against Hull City before making it two in two with a match-winning impact goal against Millwall. However, Mayulu has failed to find the net score since that strong start in August and has been unable to command a starting spot. So far, he has made a combined total of just three league starts in the Championship and 12 substitute appearances in the last five months.

What Liam Manning said about Fally Mayulu

Fally Mayulu has endured a frustrating start to life at Bristol City after arriving from the Austrian capital. However, Liam Manning was quick to dismiss the prospect of a loan move earlier in the window.

The Robins allowed injury-hit defender Robert Atkinson to join Portsmouth to gain regular first team experience and was asked earlier in the month if Mayulu would follow suit, to which he responded: "I think it's for different reasons. Rob's more for confidence in his body, the fact that he's not played games for long and being able to play Saturday, Tuesday and Saturday.

“We can play him in under-21s games, but the physical demands and the volume of games are completely different. The big part for Rob in terms of confidence wise was to go and get minutes and do that.

“Fally's slightly different. Fally's progressing all the time. In terms of when I look at it, naturally, he wants to do well. I've never met a player who steps on the pitch and doesn't. They're all desperate to do well and help the team and Fally's no different to that.”

He also insisted the towering 6ft4 in forward was making huge strides in training and getting closer to the levels required to make an impact.

"I get the added advantage that I see the progress he's making in training and the areas that we've been working on he is improving at, hence when he plays a game or plays minutes, I know what I'm looking for in terms of progress,” Manning added.

““He's getting better, he's one that when you bring someone in you want them to hit the ground running, but we're quite clear we don't sign the finished article so there shouldn't be any expectation or demand that he does it straight away.”

Could Fally Mayulu leave Bristol City this month?

Fally Mayulu was handed his first start in a month shortly after Liam Manning’s initial interview but was unable to make an impact during his 77-minute run-out against Premier League side Wolves in a 2-1 FA Cup defeat.

Since then, however, Mayulu has failed to make the matchday squad, despite Manning openly admitting that the forward wasn’t injured.

Stoke City, after the departure of top scorer Tom Cannon, are scouring the market for a striker and according to the Mirror are willing to pay a seven-figure sum to entice Mayulu to the Bet365 Stadium.

Manning commented: "No offer of that valuation has been made. I know there are bits out there about Fally at the minute. There is interest in him, it's a discussion in-house about what's best for the club and him. It also shows the competition that we've got in the group that we're travelling here with Marcus [McGuane], there's no [Cam] Pringy, no Fally, no [Harry] Corns. When you look at it, we've got some good options behind us.

"It all depends on the options. It's probably not all on what I'd want and what's in front of us, what's best for the club, what's best for Fally, what's best for the team here. They're obviously the conversations that will happen behind the scenes. He's got interest and we'll have to see what happens."

Bristol City will look to get their play-off push back on track when they play host to sixth placed Blackburn Rovers in a crucial clash which promises to have a profound impact on the play-off race. Mayulu will be targeting a return to the squad after failing to even make the bench in both the 1-0 defeat to Coventry City and the 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.