Bristol City: Tommy Conway told Middlesbrough a "sideways move" as deal advances | OneFootball

The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in all competitions last season for the Robins.

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Bristol City's Tommy Conway has been linked with a move away from Ashton Gate throughout summer. However, with it looking likely that just one club are now interested in him, he may have made the wrong decision.

The 21-year-old came through Bristol City's academy, after being born in nearby Taunton, and has played 92 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 25 goals and picking up six assists.

Conway also spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Yate Town, before moving to Bath CIty for the first half of the 2020/21 campaign at Bath City, but was recalled by then manager Dean Holden and made his Championship debut against Coventry City in April 2021.

However, after a fantastic 2023/24, Conway has seen it as the correct time to move on from the Robins, and is now exiled from the first-team after refusing to sign a new contract, with his current deal due to expire next summer.

Middlesbrough look to be the club of choice for Conway

Although the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Rangers have been linked with Conway in this transfer window, neither have placed a bid for the striker.

Nevertheless, Middlesbrough have sent an offer to Bristol City, with the price likely to reach £5 million after add-ons if it is accepted, according to BristolLive.

FLW's Bristol City Fan Pundit, Tom, believes that Conway should be let go after the summer-long saga: "Tommy Conway feels like he can get a bigger move, and now, obviously, he's training with the U21s at the moment. He's not being incorporated into the squad for this season. So, the fact of the matter is that he has to move.

"No other club has come in for him. None of these big clubs, who he probably thought maybe he'd be able to go to such as Rangers and Celtic. None of them have made an offer for him.

"And so now it's a case of he's forced a move. Middlesbrough, I would say, are a sideways step, although I'm not sure how they've been sizing up for the season. Obviously, I feel like we've got quite a good chance this season to do well, but I don't know about them. I'm not going to say it’s a backward step. They could easily finish above us, but it is not a forward step.

"Realistically, any price because he's going to be leaving next season anyway for free. He's not in the squad, he's not in Manning's plans. So, I could see him going quite a lot cheaper than maybe he normally would."

Bristol City already have cover through Sinclair Armstrong

Conway was key for the Robins last season, and finished as the club's top scorer with 12 goals in all competitions, four ahead of Nahki Wells. But, with him entering the final year of his contract, and the addition of Sinclair Armstrong, Bristol City can afford to let him go.

"We have just signed Sinclair Armstrong. He’s a same similar age, a similar potential.

"Sinclair has four goals in 61 professional appearances, Conway had twelve goals last season. There’s a brilliant raw talent in Sinclair Armstrong, and in terms of a footballing perspective, people could see the same about Conway.

"I'd probably say in terms of deal £2million-£3 million would be a good deal for Bristol City at this point. But it's definitely a sideways move for him.

"We will have to see how things develop, see if anyone else comes in for him, because if a bid gets accepted, another big club may realise that it’s a cheap offer for a player who scored 12 goals last season, and they might want to take a look at that too. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens."