‘Very talented’ – Nigel Pearson’s first impressions of Bristol City new boy Anis Mehmeti

Nigel Pearson says that the arrival of Anis Mehmeti will give him and his Bristol City staff something else to work with.

Mehmeti made the deadline day move from Wycombe Wanderers, joining for what was a club record fee for the Chairboys. The 22-year-old was reportedly wanted by Nottingham Forest, but it is the Robins who won the race for his signature.

The Albanian Under-21 international is considered one of the best young players in the English Football League, alongside the likes of Robins star-boy Alex Scott. He is one of the most creative players in League One with 12 goal contributions in 27 matches, already beating last season’s return.

Mehmeti, an attacking midfielder by trade, can also play as a left-sided winger, and so he could slot in as to where Antoine Semenyo was playing before his departure. The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee won games on his own for Wycombe, and represents a different kind of challenge for Nigel Pearson to work with.

“Anis is a very talented footballer,” said Pearson to the official club website’s channel Robins TV. “He has a hunger, which is very evident when you speak to him.

“He wants to be successful and wants to go to the top. So it’s important that we try and harness that type of ambition in players.

“I don’t want players just to come in here and be easy going. I want them to come in and want to achieve things. And so, yeah, occasionally players of that ilk can be a slightly more interesting to manage for us staff - but I like that. I think we have a nice blend.”

Mehmeti was not the only deadline day arrival with Cornick’s much-anticipated move to Ashton confirmed near the deadline. He was not in Luton Town’s squad for their midweek win over Cardiff and was instead at the High Performance Centre thrashing out terms, whilst also undergoing media duties before his move was confirmed.

Cornick is believed to have been a player that Bristol City wanted in the summer, and was out-of-contract. It would have been similar to what they did with Kal Naismith, who made the move from Kennilworth Road last summer.

The money made available from Semenyo’s sale to Bournemouth however allowed Bristol City to sign the forward earlier. Cornick has just one goal this season, but reached double figures last year after helping the Hatters reach the play-offs.

“Harry comes as a player with good experience,” Pearson said about Cornick. He plays games so he is available. He’s one of those types of players is a really good runner, he gives us energy and is a good lad too.

“We can improve him too. He’s a player who comes in as a twenty-seven-year-old, is in his prime and we can make him stronger.”