Nigel Pearson unravels transfer saga of Sheff Utd star who was Bristol City’s main target

Nigel Pearson has revealed that Reda Khadra was a priority loan signing for Bristol City this summer. It was revealed earlier this week that the 59-year-old wanted to take him on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Khadra joined Sheffield United on a season-long loan deal and played against a club that had shown an interest in him this summer. The 21-year-old suffered the pain of being substituted after 30 minutes after Paul Heckingbottom had admitted the Blades were being overrun in the midfield.

Heckingbottom’s bold tactical decision paid off as they defeated City 1-0 thanks to a goal from Iliman Ndiaye, with suspicions of offside from Billy Sharp in the build-up. Pearson revealed in his post-match press conference that the Germany Under-21 international is someone he had made a swoop for in the summer but was ultimately unsuccessful.

In an interview with Sky Sports earlier this week, Pearson admitted that he would like a maverick-type player in his squad. At Leicester City he had Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, who were able to change games on their own and played with a swagger and confidence.

Khadra had been identified as a player that could add fit that mould but they lost out on him. The disappointment of losing out on Khadra to a divisional rival would have made the assumption of moving on to a different target in the same position but that wasn’t the case.

“It shows you that players have to make decisions about their career rather than their agents,” said Pearson over the failure to land the midfielder. “I don’t know exactly what happened but I’ve been asked about loan players on many occasions.

“He was a player that we were very keen to take. It’s an example of how it has to be all three parties that are in line with each other. “It is the club that owns the player, the club he goes to and the player himself.”

“Because we don’t take one player it doesn’t mean we’re definitely going to take somebody else because that was the player we want. “The other loan opportunities we tried to get weren’t doable because they were too expensive or the clubs that own the players decide we aren’t the right club for them.”

Khadra’s position is predominantly as an attacking midfielder, a position that City have two capable players in.  Andi Weimann, last season’s top scorer was the first-choice for that role but has also been played up front. Star-boy Alex Scott is the other choice and has had a feel for the position but has never been nailed down for it.

They ended up signing Mark Sykes, a central midfielder converted into a wing-back, whilst also signing Kane Wilson, Kal Naismith and goalkeeper Stefan Bajic.

Pearson said: “I like him as a player, he’s a match-winner. He’s probably high-maintenance but that’s where I think our dressing room could do with somebody like that now when in the past they couldn’t.

“I like players who keep me on my toes. There needs to be some uncertainties, you don’t want everyone to be the same. It doesn’t mean that players lack discipline and lack an understanding of what the team needs. You need strong minded people, determined and reliable people, you need someone that’s going to bring something different.”

Weimann was City’s leading man last season with the team dependent on his goals. The Austrian international scored 22 goals in the last campaign and also got 10 assists, a career best season. The 31-year-old this time around has got three goals and four assists, but has not found the net since August.

Weimann was recently integrated back into the side after an ever-present campaign last year, whilst also returning to the international fold. Last season it was the former Aston Villa man who was the deciding factor between a draw and a loss or a point or three.

This season however, the goals are being spread around with Tommy Conway and Nahki Wells leading the way. Neither could find the target on Tuesday against Sheff Utd however was used as an example of what City are missing currently.

“The game we played the other night, in terms of a real frustration because we battered them and lost,” Pearson said. “We lost because we defended one phase of play not very well and the officials couldn’t get it right.

“Up the other end we couldn’t find a way to unlock the door or take the chances when they came along. Sometimes it’s a personality that is different or a player that has something different. More often than not they are creative players but you do get defenders like that too occasionally, which are priceless.”