Football League World
·14 September 2024
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·14 September 2024
FLW looks at the 8 Bristol City players that will leave at the end of the season if nothing changes.
Bristol City will be hoping for another comfortable campaign in the Championship.
The Robins have spent the last nine seasons in the Championship after their League One win back in 2015. They have failed to really challenge for the play-off spots, but at the same time, they rarely flirt with relegation and end up finishing comfortably in mid-table.
It is likely that the 2024/25 campaign will be a similar story, but they would prefer to be looking up rather than down in the Championship, so a potential play-off pursuit would be fantastic for the Robins.
It was a strong summer transfer window for Bristol City, as they secured permanent deals for the likes of Scott Twine, Sinclair Armstrong, and Marcus McGuane, as well as loaning in George Earthy from West Ham and Yu Hirakawa from the Japanese top flight.
The squad has come along nicely, but now Manning and the Robins must think about player contracts, as many will expire next summer if nothing changes.
Today, FLW looks at the eight Bristol City players whose current contracts expire at the end of the season, according to Transfermarkt.
Mark Sykes has been a crucial player for the Robins on the right-hand side of midfield over the last couple of seasons, but if he is not offered a new contract before next summer, he will be set for departure.
The 27-year-old started Bristol City's first four league games this season but has failed to really kick on yet, so there is work to do in order to earn a new deal.
One of two loanees on the books at Ashton Gate this season, George Earthy will be hoping to play senior football on a regular basis for the first time in his career.
The attacking midfielder joined on loan from West Ham until the end of the season and has made a couple of substitute appearances already.
Yu Hirakawa is the second loanee in the squad, joining on loan from Machida Zelvia in the Japanese top flight.
The winger spent the summer in Paris, representing Japan in the Olympics and picked up an injury, which has delayed his debut in Bs3.
Hirakawa initially joined on loan until the end of the season, but there is a view to a permanent deal.
Bristol City could lose their backup goalkeeper next summer if nothing changes, as Stefan Bajic's contract is set to expire.
The 22-year-old has been with the club for two years and is yet to make a league appearance, but he has appeared in the EFL Cup.
Max O'Leary has kept him out of the starting eleven, but Bajic is a reliable backup in case of injury.
Kal Naismith has been an incredibly useful player over the course of his career, having played in practically every outfield position there is.
The Scot is one of the more experienced members of Manning's squad but his deal is up in the summer and given his injury issues, it remains to be seen whether he has a future at Ashton Gate.
Another experienced head in the dressing room, Nahki Wells will leave the club next summer if a new contract is not signed.
The 34-year-old remains a solid option to bring on as a substitute in the hopes of affecting games, but his age may deter Bristol City from offering him a new contract.
Ayman Benarous is a product of Bristol City's youth academy and enjoyed a run of games in the 2021/22 campaign, but due to injuries, he has not featured competitively for the Robins in over two years.
His contract expires next summer so he'll be keen to earn an extension this term.
Lewis Thomas was picked up by Bristol City last September on a free transfer after spending time at Forest Green Rovers but is yet to feature for the Robins.
The goalkeeper played four games on loan at Bromley last season, who achieved promotion to the Football League, and was handed a contract extension in February that keeps him tied down until the end of this term.
What the future holds for him beyond that point remains to be seen.