Crawley Town eyeing Bristol City transfer | OneFootball

Crawley are looking to secure a loan deal for Bristol City's Josh Stokes.

League One side Crawley Town are among a host of League One clubs who have enquired about taking Bristol City starlet Josh Stokes on loan this month.

That's according to a report from Bristol Live on Tuesday morning, as the Robins appear to be willing to allow the youngster to seek out some valuable first team football elsewhere this season.

Stokes, 20, was plucked out of non-league football from Aldershot Town in January for a fee of £250,000, and after spending the rest of last season back with the Shots, he was a part of Liam Manning's senior side during pre-season.

But after being an unused substitute in the Robins' opening day draw with Hull City, and after coming off the bench with 20 minutes to go in their Carabao Cup defeat to Coventry City, Stokes appears to be on the fringes of Manning's starting lineup.

Crawley Town circling Stokes

According to Bristol Live, Crawley Town have made their enquiry to Bristol City over the possibility of signing Stokes on loan before the end of the transfer window.

The Robins are currently deliberating whether to commission such a loan move, in what has been a remarkable rise for the attacking midfielder in recent times.

A former Ipswich Town academy product, Stokes was playing in the eighth tier of English football just over a year ago with AFC Sudbury, before catching the eye of National League side Aldershot Town and subsequently Bristol City.

Having returned to Ashton Gate this summer ready to make an impression on Manning and his coaching staff, but after the arrivals of Scott Twine and George Earthy, Scott's path to regular first team football with the Robins this season appear to be limited.

Speaking last week on the possibility of loaning Stokes out this month, City boss Manning said: "Possibly, we’re not ruling anything out or committing to anything. As you know, we’re working hard in the market, it’s one of those where depending on what that looks like will determine some of the decisions down the line.

"He’s very much part of it at the minute, but might that change? Possibly in the next two-and-a-half weeks. This is a big jump for him, so we’re being realistic with the expectations on him, but he’s performed well in training.

"I think he is definitely one that could be braver, and take more risks, that’s one of the bits we liked about him. Coming to a place like this there is a big jump up, it could take a little bit of time to settle. He’s one of those where we’ve seen his qualities, we think he’s going to be a really good player for us, so again it’s just how long that takes.”

Stokes could make big impact at League One level

The talented youngster is clearly a player that Bristol City are going to be patient with, and as such, sending him out on loan to get his first taste of EFL action may well be the right thing to do at this stage of his career.

Tuesday's report details that a number of League Two and League One clubs wanted to sign him in January before the Robins beat them to the punch, and so it's of no surprise to see a host of clubs queuing up once again this summer.

Crawley could be seen as an ideal fit for Stokes, as they've been lining up with a 3-4-2-1 formation - which accommodates two central attacking midfielders behind the centre-forward - from the back end of last season and now into the new one too.

But perhaps with his record in front of goal from his time with Aldershot, Crawley may see a role for him in the striking department too, or maybe even in a deeper central midfield role with the license to get forward.

Regardless of where he lands, he should receive more opportunities to get minutes under his belt away from Bristol City this season. And should he deliver an impressive campaign in League One, he could well return to Ashton Gate next summer ready to really stake his claim for a starting role with the Robins.