Robins reportedly interested in former Brighton defender

BRISTOL City have been linked to ex-Brighton & Hove Albion defender George Cox who now plays in the Netherlands.

The Football Insider website reports the 22-year-old is being carefullly watched by the Robins along with “Spanish sides Espanyol and Mallorca, Dutch outfit Groningen and several MLS clubs all in the hunt”.

Cox came through the youth ranks at Brighton but was released having not made a senior appearance for the Premier League outfit.

After a loan spell at Northampton Town that yielded five starts in League Two in the 2018-19 season, Cox moved on to the Eredivisie and Fortuna Sittard.

A loan spell and 21 appearances in the Dutch league led to Cox making a permanent switch to the Netherlands club.

A left-back by trade, Cox has impressed this season in 10 starts for his side - scoring three goals (including one against Dutch giants Ajax) and grabbing an assist, too.

Fortuna Sittard sit just above the relegation zone but the Worthing-born defender has shown himself to be capable at that level of football, with plenty of interest now reportedly developing from elsewhere.

It remains to be seen if City follow up with any concrete proposals for Cox, who is contracted there until 2023. Dean Holden recently suggested he is happy with his squad, explaining that when the head coach gets several key players back from injury in January, they will be like new signings.

The Robins are not expected to be too active in the January transfer window but may look for an addition that might make the difference over the months ahead.