Bristol City's Championship rivals target Bournemouth ace as Leeds United plot £25m move for ex-Arsenal star
A round-up of transfer headlines from Bristol City’s second-tier rivals
Championship play-off hopefuls Bristol City ended February on a high with a crucial 2-1 victory against Middlesbrough.
A quick-fire double from loanee George Earthy ensured that the Robins picked up all three points against Michael Carrick’s men despite going a goal down through a strike from former fan favourite Tommy Conway.
Liam Manning’s side end the month in eighth position and just two points behind the play-offs as they prepare for a well-deserved period of rest before being thrust back into the action with a quick sequence of games against Millwall, Hull City, Sheffield United and Norwich City in March.
As Manning and his team look ahead to a challenging period of the season, we take a look at the main headlines from around the division.
Leeds United plot £25m move for ex-Arsenal star
Leeds United are in pole position to win promotion back to the Premier League. After their recent victory over Sheffield United, OPTA Sport has given the team a 98.62% chance of winning promotion and it is thought that the club already have one eye on potential targets if they are to reach the top-flight.
TBR Football understands that former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is one of the club’s outstanding targets amid criticism surrounding the form and consistency of current shot-stopper Illan Meslier.
Ramsdale, who made the PFA Team of the Season in 2022/23 has endured a difficult fall from grace over the last two seasons, he was surprisingly dislodged in the Gunners line-up after the signing of David Raya, before completing an even more eyebrow-raising move to Southampton despite reports of interest from both Chelsea and Newcastle.
As it stands, the Saints look destined for relegation to the Championship and TBR Football understands that the St Mary’s Stadium side will be forced to listen to offers for one of their highest earners.
Sources have told the outlet that a relegation release clause is written into Ramsdale’s contract and although the exact amount has not been disclosed it is thought to be marginally higher than the £25m Southampton paid to sign him.
Burnley set their sights on Bournemouth ace
Championship promotion hopefuls Burnley are believed to be plotting a move to sign loanee Jaidon Anthony on a permanent basis from Bournemouth after a productive loan spell at Turf Moor.
The former Leeds United loanee has scored three times and made 35 assists for the Clarets this season and is understood to be a player that Scott Parker rates highly after a series of stellar displays.
As reported by the Burnley Express, Anthony claimed their is a permanent obligation in his contract if he can help the team win promotion. The 25-year-old, who won promotion with the Cherries in 2022 explains it gives him an added incentive to do well as he seeks to stay in Lancashire long-term. He explained: “I'm loving it. Obviously last year it was very different, I didn't play as much, but this year I'm just buzzing with the playing time and hopefully I can keep helping the team and we can achieve the success we want.
“I’m just going to keep trying my best, really. Obviously there's stuff that if we go up then I'll be here permanently, which is an exciting prospect.”