Western Daily Press (Saturday)
City eye Lansbury after missing out on front man
BRISTOL City hope to recruit Henri Lansbury before the end of the transfer window on Monday evening.
Robins head coach Dean Holden explained in his press conference ahead of today’s match at Derby that he is aiming to add one player to the squad and it is understood that City have the midfielder in their sights.
Lansbury would add significant Championship experience to the middle of the pitch.
Former Arsenal trainee Lansbury is out of contract at Aston Villa this summer after joining the club from Nottingham Forest in January 2017 for a fee believed to be £2.7m.
He is available on loan after being left out of Villa’s Premier League squad, and it is believed that talks are continuing, and that if the switch is agreed it may be a permanent signing if the Villa man is released from his contract.
Villa and the Robins have a good relationship at board level following the sale of Jonathan Kodjia and re-negotiation of Nathan Baker’s fee to help the Midlands club when they experienced financial problems.
And Holden’s close ties with Dean Smith should also oil the wheels.
Holden has specifically targeted players with experience in the second tier since becoming head coach, as a way to help develop the young talents coming through at the club as well as to help try to push City over the line as they look to make the jump to the top six.
As well as Lansbury, City hold an interest in Villa striker Keinan Davis, although the forward will not be allowed to leave Villa Park on loan in January according to Holden, after Smith considered a loan for the player.
“Keinan Davis won’t be leaving Aston Villa in this transfer window,” confirmed Holden.
“He’s obviously a very good player and he played against us in that Carabao Cup at the start of the season and did some damage to us from what I remember, but he won’t be coming down from Villa.”