Bristol City player set to secure transfer move to European club | OneFootball

Nikita Haikin's short time as a Bristol City player looks set to be over, with a return to his former club Bodø/Glimt said to be on the horizon, according to Norwegian publication Nettavisen.

Haikin linked up with the Robins back in the January transfer window after they let Dan Bentley depart for Premier League outfit Wolves, and they were able to snap up the 27-year-old Israel-born stopper on a free transfer less than a month after his contract at Bodø/Glimt expired.

However, Max O'Leary has remained Nigel Pearson's goalkeeper of choice in-between the sticks at Ashton Gate, leaving Haikin warming the bench just months after starting every week for his former club.

Unlike other foreign signings in the EFL since new work permit rules were put in place, City were able to bring Haikin to the club due to the fact he holds British citizenship, having moved to the nation as a child and spending time in the academies of Chelsea, Portsmouth and Reading.

Despite having a contract at City until the end of the current season, Nettavisen are claiming that his deal at the Championship outfit is now set to be ripped up so that he can return to Bodø/Glimt.

They have had no luck in terms of signing a new goalkeeper in recent months and with their league campaign starting in a few weeks time, manager Kjetil Knutsen has opted to try and bring Haikin back to familiar surroundings.

The Russian stopper has reportedly agreed terms verbally with his former club and now it is just a matter of City signing off on his departure so that he can return to Norway.

The Verdict

It's been a short stint back in England for Haikin, but it's understandable as to why he'd want to take the opportunity to return to Norway.

He was playing week in, week out for Bodø/Glimt so to go from that to not getting a sniff since he has been at Bristol City will be really disappointing to him.

Max O'Leary hasn't done much wrong at all though so Nigel Pearson hasn't seen fit to change his goalkeeper at any stage, but the club appear to be decent enough to let Haikin leave early to head back to somewhere he's likely going to enjoy his football again.

It didn't work out for Haikin at Ashton Gate, but he will be back playing European football again later in 2023 and that will be very exciting for him.