Football I always wanted to stay at City, says released striker Famara
FAMARA Diedhiou has insisted he always wanted to stay at Bristol City and questioned CEO Mark Ashton’s claim that he was offered one of the biggest contracts in the club’s history.
Diedhiou was named among the 11 players to be leaving Ashton Gate next month after a year-long saga over his future in BS3.
Ashton stated in January that Diedhiou had been presented “one of the biggest contract offers that this football club has ever made to a player” towards the end of summer 2020, in a bid to keep him in the West Country.
However, that offer went unsigned and the Senegal international effectively ran his contract down in the second half of the season, with his performances notably declining. Nigel Pearson left him out of the Robins’ final three league matches due to an apparent knee injury.
Diedhiou took to Twitter to say goodbye to City fans but insisted his desire was to remain at the club and claimed what Ashton said had happened wasn’t necessarily reality.
“I would like to thank every single person who supports the BCFC,” he wrote. “4 years 4 incredible years with the team who helped me to live my dreams play in England. It’s been a big pleasure and some greats memories from the first year but not the end I wanted.
“Very disappointed and not the season we wanted but I will never forget the family. Time to go but nothing gonna change for me the love for Bristol City. Massive thanks to everyone from the man who lived in Knowle.”
In the replies to the first message, a fan tweeted Diedhiou, “you got the end you wanted”, to which he then replied, “That’s not the end I wanted I always wanted to stay at Bristol City.”
Robins supporter Nathan Summers then referenced the January interview with Bristol Live, to which Diedhiou responded: “That’s what he said.”
It’s the latest in what has been a sorry ending to a fine body of work for the striker who was the club’s record signing when he joined from Angers in 2017 for £5.3 million. Diedhiou was a divisive player throughout his four years in BS3 with criticisms over his finishing acumen countered with his workrate, physicality and the fact he was a constant presence and allowed others to play off him.
His departure from the squad does leave a sizeable hole for Nigel Pearson to fill with the only traditional No 9 remaining being young Louis Britton, who only made his Championship debut towards the end of the season.
Diedhiou remains a target of Middlesbrough and other Championship clubs but with reports in the North East indicating his wage expectations are too high for what is an increasingly depressed market due to Covid-19.
Ashton, meanwhile, is in his final 10 days as Robins chief executive ahead of his switch to League One Ipswich Town on June 1, with replacement Richard Gould commencing work at Ashton Gate in mid-June.