"Bad news for Bristol City" - Pundit reacts to Tommy Conway update as Celtic and Rangers circle | OneFootball

Tommy Conway looks set to leave Bristol City this summer amid his unwillingness to sign a new contract at his boyhood club.

The 21-year-old has been a key asset to Nigel Pearson and Liam Manning's squads since his breakthrough at the beginning of the 2022-23 season, but his time at Ashton Gate looks likely to come to an end in the coming months.

Conway, who was recently called up to the Scotland squad for Euro 2024, has reportedly been put up for sale in this transfer window, with the Robins wanting him to depart for a decent sum rather than leave for a small compensation fee next summer when his contract expires.

Conway is a quick, dynamic striker who netted 12 goals in 43 games in all competitions for Manning's side in 2023-24, so he is not set to be short of suitors this summer.

Bristol Live has reported that Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers are both interested in securing his services this summer, but if he does stay at Bristol City, he could join either on a pre-contract basis in the new year for the mandatory £300,000 compensation for players that move to Scotland.

Both Wolves and Leicester City are also reportedly among the Premier League clubs who have kept a constant check on his development.

Carlton Palmer's reaction to Conway's contract situation

The saga around Conway has left City in a tough situation, and they could be dependent on him having a good European Championship tournament to further drum up interest and clinch him a summer move for a sizable fee.

It certainly looks unlikely that he will be lining up in red at Ashton Gate next season, and both club and player will want the situation resolved as quickly as possible before he is set to report for pre-season after the tournament.

Former England international and current pundit, Carlton Palmer, spoke exclusively to Football League World on what Bristol City should do with Conway this summer.

"This is disappointing news for Bristol City and their supporters," said Palmer. "He’s got 12 months left on his contract and I very much doubt that Bristol City would let him sit out on that deal, but it’s difficult because in 12 months time he could go across the border for as little as £300,000.

"I think Bristol City would prefer a deal done before that, and a strong European Championship, if he gets the chance to play, would underline that. At one point they were looking for five to eight million for him, but given that his contract is going to be up next season, I think it will be a fraction of that.

"It’s a really difficult one when a player is allowed to get down to the last year of his contract, but at the end of the day, it is going to run out at the end of the season and clubs will be looking and saying to Bristol City, ‘well listen he’s going to be available on a free.’ If he decides to sit out on his contract, which he can do, there is nothing Bristol City can do.

“It’s going to be very interesting to see. A strong Euros won’t affect the fee unless there is a bidding war and teams want to buy him before the end of his contract, which I can’t see happening. It’s bad news for Bristol City in terms of receiving a big fee for him.

"Hopefully someone like Wolves, who were interested in him, might come along and say, ‘we’ll give you three or four million for him,’ we’ll just have to wait and see."

Conway would be a big loss for Bristol City

As Palmer alluded to, the departure of Conway would be a tough one to take for both Liam Manning and Robins fans, especially given his 14-year allegiance with the club.

He was the club's top scorer in all competitions last season, netting 12 goals, four more than second-highest scorer Nahki Wells - the loss of his services would clearly be a blow to their chances of improving on an 11th-placed finish in 2023-24, especially if it is for a cut-price fee that does not allow the club to properly reinvest in a replacement.

Manning himself has admitted that the club are after a number nine in an interview on Sound of the City, and that search will be due to hot up if Conway makes a swift exit in the coming months - the Robins find themselves in a real predicament surrounding his situation, and it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible.