Nahki Wells on Premier League career goal, Bristol City future and failed January move

Bristol City striker Nahki Wells says he wants one more opportunity at the Premier League before his footballing career is out.

The 31-year-old, had one season with Burnley in 2017/18, but after failing to find the net in nine appearances, he was twice sent out on loan to Queens Park Rangers.

His form with the West London side earned him the move to Ashton Gate in January 2020, where Lee Johnson sold the idea of top flight football to him.

Since then, two managers have moved on and he has found himself down the pecking order, despite the vast amount of Football League experience he has had.

Asked on his one career goal before he hangs up the boots, he said: “I want to try and have as good a career as possible. I know I have so much more football to play.

“I’m quite comfortable in how well I have done in my career up until this date, but I’m still ambitious.

“I had a crack at the Premier League but one of the biggest regrets was not scoring in the Premier League, but there were limited opportunities when I signed that year at Burnley.

“It was the ambition coming to this football club, that is something that we thrived for. A lot has gone on in life and a lot has been hindered and we haven’t hit those heights, but that is still the aim.

“I still want to have another crack at the Premier League. I know in my position, the easiest way to get back is promotion.

“Unless I can hit the heights that I had before , a team would want to take me and that opportunity presents itself.

“The short side of it is trying to do as well as I can at this level and whilst I’m contracted at this football club and I enjoy it.”

In January, Wells was subject of a temporary move away from the football club, as Severnside rivals Cardiff City came in with multiple loan offers.

Ultimately, Bristol stood firm and refused to let one of their players go to a team that were rivalling them in the league table.

Wells stayed put at the High Performance Centre but despite their desire to keep him at the club, opportunities have still been few and far between.

“I love my time at the football club and I love coming in to work and I love playing for them. I’m settled but ultimately I’m here to play football and do as well as I can,” said the Bermuda international on his reasoning behind his desire to want to leave in the winter window.

“If the opportunities are few and far between, the logic is if an opportunity presents itself elsewhere to go and play then that is the right thing to do and that was my approach.

“I spoke to the manager right at the end, when I had an opportunity to go and play football which I felt would be beneficial to my career at the time.

“It just didn’t transpire and the manager wanted me to stay, he reassured me that I had opportunities. For quite some time I didn’t think that it was going to happen but obviously Antoine picked up a small niggle which gave me an opportunity.

“I’m trying to stay as positive as I can until the end of the season and do as well if any opportunities present themselves.”

Should Cardiff or any other clubs that may reignite their interest in the window, Wells still has a desire to impress under Nigel Pearson.

“I’ve got another year at this football club and I’ve not been told anything different to that,” he responded when asked whether he saw his future at the club next season.

“My main focus is to continue for Bristol City, we know football and how things change and there is a change in the management’s approach, then of course we can look at other opportunities.

“I love it here, I’m still driven and I love working with the manager. I had a chat with him today and put a smile on my face and told me what I wanted to hear as a person.”

Wells’ lack of opportunities this season have mainly been down to the form of City’s settled attacking trio of Antoine Semenyo, Chris Martin and Andreas Weimann.

At the start of the season, the team would struggle to create many goal scoring opportunities and would sometimes draw blanks or only score one goal in matches.

The former Bradford City striker was previously a focal point in the team and last year registered nine goals for the club, finishing as their top goal scorer.

But since Andreas Weimann has recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, the Austrian has recorded a career best season, displacing Wells.

Whilst Martin, despite being patchy with his goal scoring form, has contributed as the physical battering ram to include both Weimann and Semenyo into the game.

It has left Wells waiting for an opportunity, like the one he got against West Brom, when he replaced Semenyo who was injured.

Despite there being an element of frustration over his lack of opportunities, he believes that those ahead of him are deserving of their spots.

“I’m under no illusions that the players in front of me deserve to be playing,” Wells said. “I’m not a hypocrite and I’m not envious of anyone. I think Andi has filled in many different places and deserves to play.

“Chris Martin has been pivotal and has been our main focal point and he’s been reliable for us, he’s been a catalyst for the performances of Andi and Antoine.

“Antoine has come on leaps and bounds this season and is a player who is only going to go on an upward spiral.

“They have all been fit, Antoine has deserved his opportunities as of late. It leaves me to bite my tongue, keep my head on and be a part of a team when the opportunities come.”

In a self motivated bid to get himself in the condition to compete for a first-team spot, Wells has at times this season played for the under-23’s side.

Not afraid to drop down to academy level, the forward has scored goals for Alex Ball’s table-topping side.

This season has seen a number of academy players make the step up, whilst in recent weeks, Pearson has turned to youth to fill his bench.

From his experience at under-23’ level, he has earmarked a few players that he has been impressed by, with most already involved in the first-team picture.

“The one’s that I think that have good careers ahead of them are pretty much the ones in our squad at the minute.

“Ayman Benarous, Sam Bell, Tommy Conway, Alex Scott, Josh Owers has been with us and Dylan Kajdi has been training a lot.

“All of those names are young players that I can see representing this football club for a long time for years to come.”