Elliot Anderson & others: How Bristol City transfer targets have fared so far this season

Bristol City have a fairly settled squad after a productive summer transfer window, where they did their business early.

All of their senior team signings arrived by July 5, which was a good few weeks before the Championship season began.

Mark Sykes, who joined from Oxford United, was the first through the door and he has settled in well in the wing-back role. Kal Naismith, a bolt from the blue, then rejected a new contract from play-off semi-finalists Luton Town and penned a three-year deal at Ashton Gate.

A much sought after right wing-back in also with fans clamouring for the signing of the League Two Player of the Year, Kane Wilson.

To top business off, French goalkeeper Stefan Bajic joined to provide competition between the sticks but he is yet to make his debut.

But what about the transfers that didn’t come off? City only dealt in free transfers but despite that, they were linked with players that may have been out of their budget.

Fraser Horsfall

In May, BristolWorld reported that talks had been held with Fraser Horsfall, who was at Northampton Town at the time. He was available on a free after a stellar campaign for the losing League Two semi-finalists, scoring nine goals as a centre-back in 47 games.

The transfer faltered and he instead joined Football League newcomers Stockport County.

The 25-year-old has started in four of seven league matches, whilst being substituted in twice and an unused substitute once.  He’s got two clean sheets and a goal to his name with Stockport currently 18th in the division.

Callum Robinson

This was a link that came about towards Deadline Day, with City one of a few clubs linked with a move for the Republic of Ireland international.

Sky Sports said that City along with another one of Robinson’s former clubs Preston and Burnley, were in for him.

Robinson ended up signing for Severnside rivals Cardiff City for a fee just under £2m and made his debut off of the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Millwall.

Andy Rinomhota

A defensive midfielder was required in the eyes of some but didn’t come this summer, despite being linked with one.

Rinomhota was a free agent after his contract with Reading ran down and back in May, interest was reported in him from City and rivals Stoke City.

Interest cooled in the midfielder with the Robins allowing other clubs to progress in their negotiations with him. The 25-year-old eventually decided on joining Cardiff, where he has become a regular first-team player.

Elliot Anderson

This transfer would have most definitely raised a few eyebrows but it failed to materialise. The Edinburgh Evening News claimed that City were one of 12 clubs in for Elliot Anderson, who had just come off a six-month loan spell at inter-city rivals Bristol Rovers.

Anderson scored the goal to get the Gas promoted and taking him to the red side of Bristol would have changed the perceptions of the player. As well as City and Rovers’ interest, plenty of others queued up to sign the talented teenager but the 19-year-old remained at St James Park and has gone from playing in League Two to the Premier League in the matter of months.

Jack Rudoni

A transfer report from The Sun claimed that City along with Huddersfield Town and Sunderland were interested in Jack Rudoni from AFC Wimbledon and all had bids rejected.

Given City had no money to spend it would have been unlikely, but eventually Rudoni found a new home. Wimbledon’s Player of the Year ended up joining Huddersfield and has played eight times this season, getting an assist.

Jean-Luc Dompe

Before the season had concluded, City had been linked with a move for Jean-Luc Dompe, a French winger who played in Belgium for Zulte Waregem. Reports in the Netherlands, more specifically Voetballkrant claimed that City and Norwich had held talks with the players’ representatives. Dompe signed a three-year deal with Hamburg SV, who play in the German second division in August.