Bristol City surely have one player to thank for signing of Max Bird from Derby County: View | OneFootball

Bristol City confirmed the signing of Max Bird from Derby County on deadline day, loaning him back to Pride Park until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old was one of six transfers made by Liam Manning’s side, with many of the incomings at Ashton Gate with the future in mind.

Of the arrivals at BS3, the average age was just 20.8, with their capture of on-loan Burnley midfielder Scott Twine the oldest player to walk through the door at just 24 years old.

Max Bird will be an exciting addition for Liam Manning

There seems to be an excitement and a buzz around the Robins' recent transfer business, and Bird is another one who brings quality, potential, and youthful energy to the side.

The 23-year-old has proven himself to be a complete package in the centre of the park. He offers a threat when going forward, scoring and assisting in his last two games in League One, and the attacking side of his game will be hugely exciting for Robins fans but he offers more than that.

Manning's possession-heavy style of play is suited to someone who has the ability that Bird has. He's a confident on-the-ball player who can find a pass and offers an attacking threat, often from a deeper position, which should make him a good long-term replacement for Matty James.

It is a shrewd addition by the Robins and he is someone who can improve them in the middle of the pitch, while also having a high ceiling and big potential.

Jason Knight may have played a huge part in Max Bird's move to Bristol City

The summer window saw Bristol City announce the signing of midfielder Jason Knight on a four-year deal from Derby.

Prior to his move to Ashton Gate, the 22-year-old had made an impressive 166 senior appearances after breaking into the Rams' first-team at the age of 18 with Phillip Cocu at the helm in the East Midlands.

While his recent performances have impressed, including a goal in the Robins' FA Cup fourth-round replay against former East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest, Knight may have played a huge part in bringing his former team-mate to the club.

The Republic of Ireland international joined Derby at the age of 16 and joined Bird in the academy, becoming not only teammates, but friends also.

Their close relationship was clear to see in an interview done with Derby last year. They discussed their friendship and the jokes they share while Knight spoke of Bird's quality in the dressing room at Pride Park, something he may have relayed to the scouting department at Bristol City.

He said: "He's always someone in the dressing room we can go to. I think a lot of the younger lads and myself included, go to Birdy to sort of deal with things they need to deal with off the pitch.

"That's really crucial at a football club and you don't really see that anymore and Birdy is a superb person for that."

Given how close the duo were, you have to assume that Bird and Knight spoke following the latter's move to Ashton Gate in the summer and ahead of the former's transfer late in the January window.

Knight is loving his football in Bs3 at the moment and will surely have encouraged his former teammate to join up with him at the Championship club.

linked elsewhere this term.