Bristol City starlet on cusp of breakthrough as Nigel Pearson makes key decision

Bristol City are unlikely to loan out youngster Tommy Conway this month with Nigel Pearson keen to keep him involved around the first-team to get a closer look at the player.

Conway came off the bench in the defeat to Fulham, making his first senior appearance for the team since August, in addition to the small breakthrough he made last year.

City are reportedly in the market for a striker in the January transfer window but will need to move players off the books first if they are to make any movement. The reemergence of Conway could alter their plans if he can showcase his ability to play in the second tier of English football.

“He’s not somebody I would consider putting out on loan because he’s too close to the first team,” Pearson said.

“He’s got good attributes and hopefully he can make a good impact.”

He was handed a run of games in the side from April last season when Championship status was preserved and scored against Millwall with three starts and two substitute appearances.

Before that loan spells at Bath City and Yate, where he scored a respectable nine goals in 13 games, he could be another academy graduate who gets given a first-team opportunity.

The likes of Alex Scott, Ayman Benarous, and, Cameron Pring have all enjoyed extended runs in the side in the first-half of the season and with City looking up rather than down, more youngsters could be fielded.

As Conway stays at Ashton Gate, this may be a month that City try and get players out on loan to Football League clubs to help aid their development. The likes of Louis Britton Sam Bell, and Ryley Towler have returned from non-league loans respectively.

Towler was given a go against Millwall on New Years Day, whilst Bell was on the substitutes bench on Saturday, but their short-term futures could be away at a club in League One or Two should a club come forward.

No interest has come yet though but that shouldn’t be as much of a bother s should a move not materialise then they would still be free to join a non-league side as done previously as they are not bound by a transfer window.

“We only ever send players out on loan if we think it is going to be beneficial to the player. We’ve had some players who have had some good exposure on loan so far this season and we will see where that goes. At the moment there is nothing imminent.”

One player who looks likely to stay put where they currently are is cdefender Taylor Moore, who is currently plying his trade out on loan at Heart of Midlothian.

The 24-year-old is on a season-long loan but there was an option to recall him this month as part of the agreement but that won’t happen.

Moore last year expressed his desire to remain at the Edinburgh club but stressed how City held all the cards on his future.

A slight update on the matter is that no discussions have taken place about him being recalled which means he will at least remain at Tynecastle for the foreseeable future.

In a short response, Pearson said: “I’ve not spoken to him. As it stands, we don’t feel the need to recall him.”

Moore, who is into his sixth year at the club, has rarely featured following the arrival of Pearson.

His contract is due to expire in the summer of 2023 but with centre-backs recruited last summer, his long-term future looks to be away from the club.