Nigel Pearson provides Tyreeq Bakinson update as Bristol City boss confirms Ipswich Town move

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson says he will not stand in the way of Tyreeq Bakinson who is set to depart for League One side Ipswich Town.

A move to Portman Road has transpired quickly with talks only emerging last night with a deal soon to be thrashed out.

Bakinson had missed the last few matches after contracting Coronavirus but made a substitute’s appearance in the 6-2 defeat to Fulham on the weekend.

The 23-year-old had been linked to the Tractor Boys and today in the pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of Cardiff City, the manager confirmed rumours were true.

“If players don’t want to be here they can go. I’m not bothered,” he said in an authoritative tone.

“He’s a player who unfortunately just wants to play on his own terms. It’s not something I particularly want so he can go.

“I’m not wasting energy on negativity, I don’t invest time in that. If you ask people who work with me they will say the same thing. If people aren’t in the side I want them to work hard to get there. I want people who are in the side to work hard to stay there.

“I don’t want people when the going gets tough to go somewhere else, I’m not interested.

"The fact that I am prepared to say, ‘let the deal go ahead' because actually, people around the place who sap the energy out of other people is not as valuable as having people here who want to be playing."

With Bakinson set to depart, some could argue that it allows City to manoeuvre in the transfer market.

As one senior player moves off the books, temporarily at least, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will result in a replacement or new player being brought in.

Despite his contract extension earlier in the year, Bakinson’s wages aren’t considered as much of a dent in City’s finances, so more players will still need to be moved if a player is to arrive.

Pearson said: “He’s not really a high earner, it’s not something that is particularly high on the agenda with this one.

“It only happened last night so hopefully Matty James will come back relatively soon, as well as Joe Williams is back. It’s not as high a priority for us.”

There is an element of frustration given the time invested in to developing him in to a first-team player. He had received his breakthrough under Dean Holden which was later continued by Pearson after taking over in February.

Before that he had struggled to get into the team and had loan spells at both Newport County and Plymouth Argyle.

Fans are keen to see perhaps at least one January signing but with the club hamstrung by record losses, as well as January being a hard month to conduct business, it has been relatively quiet.

With Nathan Baker set to miss the remainder of the season and George Tanner in the treatment room, recruiting a defender has now become the priority as compared to a striker at the start of the window.

Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Dion Sanderson had been linked with a loan move this week but it is understood that he is not an option that City are looking to pursue.

“Clearly at the moment we’re short in defensive positions. I think a hot topic amongst our fanbase would be in the striking position but that’s not imminent.

"It would be good to get one player in, two maybe. It could be that something happens later in this window but I'm not promising anything."