‘Very mature’ - The Derby County view on Bristol City transfer target Jason Knight

Bristol City are said to be keen amongst a long list of Championship admirers of Derby County and Republic of Ireland star Jason Knight.

The 22-year-old has transfer interest according to the Derby Telegraph, but so far no bid has been made, other than some initial enquiries. The Robins have already signed Rob Dickie, Ross McCrorie, and Hayden Roberts this summer, and are now moving on to different positions. City aren’t the only Championship team chasing his signature, and they could be involved in a transfer race, depending on how the window pans out.

To get an idea of what Jason Knight is all about, we spoke to DerbyWorld football writer Dylan Oakley, who has seen plenty of Knight. He told us what we could expect should he make the move to Ashton Gate, and what the reaction would be like from Pride Park.

What kind of player is Jason Knight?

Jason Knight has always had a lot of potential since he came out of the academy. He’s very versatile and his best asset is the fact that he can run and run all game long, he has really good stamina and isn’t afraid to get stuck in (perfect for the Championship).

What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Whilst he has quality with his ball control and hard tackling, he sometimes lacks an end product such as when he gets an opportunity on goal or making one final pass. This could come with experience however.

He’s very mature for his age as he has played 188 league games for the Rams even though he’s only 22, add the fact that he’s played alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney and Conor Hourihane means that he knows exactly what it takes to become a quality midfielder making his potential sky high.

What system/formation did Knight play in last season, and where was his best role?

Last season, Knight’s role changed slightly mainly due to Derby lacking depth in a lot of positions, he played in central midfield a lot but also played as a wing back at times which is a testament to how versatile he is.

If you were to value him, how would you say he’s worth, with your starting valuation, and how much he could go for?

You could value Knight at anything between 3 and 6 million pounds, however due to him being in the last year of his contract it wouldn’t surprise me if he was sold for less than 3 which would be a steal for any team in my opinion.

It’s suggested he could replace Alex Scott in the number ten - is that where his long-term future lies? Or do you think he should remain versatile?

He could develop into a number ten for sure. The biggest issue with that would be his finishing could do with some work, but certainly his running and creativity could help him with that.

If Knight were to depart Derby this summer, what do you think the reaction of the fans would be like?

If Knight does depart, the reaction from Derby fans will be disappointed but not surprised as selling him has been on the cards for a while now and it seems like that is why the Rams chose to take his one year contract extension to avoid him going for free

What is Knight’s personality like? Is he a young player that is full of confidence, or someone that is shy, and can grow in confidence?

Knight can be quite shy for a young prodigy, but I think this is more down to his maturity, he speaks very well in interviews and if anything could do with a bit more fiery confidence which could help with his goalscoring.

He is certainly good for a dressing room though as he’s very much a team player which has been great for Derby’s other youngsters because he provides a great example.