Bristol City should have 45-cap international midfielder and two others on their free agent radar | OneFootball

3 free agent signings Bristol City should consider moves for over October and why

After landing a top-half spot in 2023/24 following a season which saw former Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson dismissed from his duties and replaced by Liam Manning, the Robins have now completed the first two months of Manning's first full campaign in charge.

The summer transfer window at Ashton Gate witnessed some key changes as star striker and homegrown talent Tommy Conway left the West Country to join fellow Championship side Middlesbrough, and the Robins responded to his departure by signing new forwards Sinclair Armstrong and Fally Mayulu from Queens Park Rangers and Austrian outfit Rapid Wien respectively.

For EFL clubs though, the only way they can sign new players until January 2025 is via the free agents market.

Bristol City are somewhat hamstrung by this, having already amassed a 25-man squad, so whilst they could not immediately sign an uncontracted player over the age of 21 and add them to their squad, they would have to either release a player given no other transfer windows are open, or they could sign a freebie in advance, with a view to registering them in January.

With this in mind, Football League World takes a look at three free agents the Robins should consider signing this month and why.

Romaine Sawyers

Box-to-box midfielder Romaine Sawyers left former club Cardiff City at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract in South Wales, and is currently a free agent.

While the 32-year-old made just six appearances across all competitions for the Bluebirds last campaign, he could still be an asset for the Robins, who featured in 37 games during the 2022/23 season.

Sawyers boasts a wealth of Championship experience, following spells with Brentford, West Bromwich Albion, and Stoke City prior to his Bluebirds stint.

His experience in the middle of the park could play a perfect complement to young duo Jason Knight and Max Bird, who Manning currently relies on in holding midfield.

Sawyers' dressing room presence could also prove to be a real asset to a squad which boasts an average age of just 24.9, as per Transfermarkt.

While there is a rivalry between the Robins and Sawyers' former club Cardiff, plenty of prominent players have crossed the Severn Bridge and played for both sides, including the likes of Lee Tomlin and current Leicester City man Bobby Reid.

Louie Watson

Another midfielder available on a free transfer is Louie Watson, who left Luton Town back in August after being released from his Hatters contract via mutual consent.

Watson made just nine appearances for the Hatters across all competitions, all of which came during the remarkable 2022/23 season which saw Rob Edwards' side promoted to the Premier League for the first time in the club's history.

But the 23-year-old impressed during a loan spell with Charlton Athletic last term, in which he made 21 League One appearances, and showed his creative qualities as he scored one goal and produced four assists in all competitions.

Throughout his time with the Addicks, Watson maintained a pass accuracy of 83% in the third tier, as per FotMob, which shows he could contribute towards the attractive style of possession-based football Manning has installed at Ashton Gate.

Furthermore, the former Derby County man also created 26 chances for the Addicks in League One last season, so he could bring a creative edge to the Robins, should Manning opt to sign him.

Nathan Ferguson

During the early exchanges of the current Championship campaign, the Robins' biggest issue has been their defence, as demonstrated by comprehensive 3-0 defeats at the hands of both Derby and Blackburn Rovers and even a dramatic 4-3 victory over Millwall.

This is a problem which Manning could solve by looking towards the free agent market, while former Crystal Palace and West Brom defender Nathan Ferguson is currently available.

The 23-year-old made 21 appearances for the Baggies during the 2019/20 season, and clearly did enough to impress the Premier League Eagles, who signed him during the summer of 2020.

However, after arriving in south London, Ferguson made just one senior appearance for the Eagles, largely due to injuries, but did feature in several top-flight matchday squads as an unused substitute as recently as last season.

Ferguson is clearly in need of a new club as he looks to re-ignite his career, and the Robins could look to his potential services in an effort to shore up a leaky backline.