Tyreeq Bakinson: A reminder of Nigel Pearson’s view on Bristol City outcast as Sheffield Wednesday swoop

Bakinson spent the second half of last season on loan at Ipswich Town in League One, scoring once in his 17 appearances at Portman Road.

There had been some expectation that the 23-year-old would return to the Tractor Boys again this season but a move on that front has not been made.

Wednesday are now in the box seat to sign Bakinson but the Owls are unlikely to get a glowing reference from their legendary former captain Nigel Pearson.

The Robins boss had plenty to say about Bakinson - who has been training with the U23s since returning to pre-season with the club - when the player left for Ipswich in January and he’s certainly not a fan.

Pearson tore into Bakinson and his attitude upon the midfielder’s departure in the mid-season window and was more than happy to send him away.

Nigel Pearson on Tyreeq Bakinson

Pearson said then: “I’ve said it before, if players don’t want to be here they can go. I’m not bothered. 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 on that, I’m not just saying it. If you ask people who work with me they’ll say exactly the same thing, I don’t waste energy on negativity, it drives me mad.

"If people aren't in the side, I want them to work hard to get there and I want people who are in the side to work hard to stay there. I don't want people that when the going gets tough, they want to go somewhere else, I'm not interested.

"The fact that I am prepared to say, 'yeah, 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."

Bakinson fell out of favour in December after making 13 appearances up to that point and not long after that Pearson made it clear there was no future for the former Luton Town player at Ashton Gate after almost five years at the club.

Last month Pearson revealed Bakinson was back at the club for pre-season but they were actively attempting to move him on either permanently or on-loan.

He said: “[Bakinson is] here but he’s not training with us at the moment. Ipswich have decided that they don’t want to take their option on him, so we’ll be looking to try and find a solution to that.”