Football Diedhiou expected to stay at City until at least January
REPORTS in France yesterday suggested Famara Diedhiou will be remaining at Bristol City.
The striker will stay at Ashton Gate in contrast to Niclas Eliasson who opted to move on to pastures new and Nimes last week.
Although a later domestic transfer window remains open to Friday October 16, the chances of Diedhiou switching clubs are small. However, the picture may change come 2021 - just three months away.
Diedhiou staying in BS3 beyond the closing of yesterday’s international transfer deadline is good news in the short-term for City, but still leaves the possibility open of the Senegalese departing on a free transfer in January.
The Bristol Post understands Diedhiou has been told one club in Turkey are willing to quadruple his wages for the 2021-22 season if he signs a pre-contract agreement in January to join next summer.
However, there is also confidence within Ashton Gate that Diedhiou could still commit to City in the long-term and that theirs is the only true, tangible offer on the table and the vast majority of what has been offered to the 27-year-old over the last nine months hasn’t been wholly true.
The financial impact of Covid-19 has also affected the volume of clubs able and willing to pay significant enough wages to tempt the striker away from Bristol.
City believe their offer is a strong one and given how settled he is in the city and his relationship with Dean Holden, the board and his team-mates, it is the common sense decision for him to stay.
Diedhiou has previously told head coach Dean Holden previously that he is happy to stay at City and wants to commit his future to the club.
However, the longer the situation carries on, the more speculation increases and possible other offers arrive for the powerhouse forward.
“He’s going into the last year of his contract and he’s right to look at other options but he feels - and he was emphatic to me a couple of days ago - that he wants to stay,” said Holden on the matter in August.
“He loves the club, he loves where he lives, and he loves the way that we work. All in all we’re hoping that he’ll sign a new contract and stay with us,” he added.
Diedhiou’s form on the pitch has not been the best this season and he has also lost is starting place to summer signing Chris Martin, which does not help the forward’s prospects.
The next few months could be an interesting watch as to what happens next for the former Angers striker.