Pearson looking to recruit as Davies is linked

FORMER Derby County manager Nigel Pearson has been outlining his summer transfer plans for Bristol City and the Robins have been linked with Rams defender Curtis Davies.

Davies is out of contract at the end of June and has indicated he would like to stay and help the Rams bounce straight back following relegation from the Championship.

The 37-year-old played every minute of the 46 League games and was named player of the year, receiving the Jack Stamps Trophy after last Saturday’s final game of the season against Cardiff City.

It was reported at the weekend that Pearson is “desperate” to add Davies’ experience to his young squad.

The Robins finished 17th this season on 55 points, 18 points above the relegation places and 20 away from the top six.

Pearson is looking to build a team to push on next season.

“We’ll get better and the challenge for us now is to put together a campaign which gives us a chance of getting promoted ourselves,” Pearson told the Bristol Post.

“That may sound like pie in the sky but it doesn’t matter. We need to aim high, there’s no point in setting the bar low. Players that come in will need a strong desire to achieve.

“I don’t want journeymen who just want to come in and play for a nice club.

“I don’t want that, we’re not about that. We need to find that competitive edge that allows us to overachieve results-wise.

“For a lot of our players, it’s the first season in the Championship and it is a tough one to succeed in and it’s a tough one to be able to perform at your best every week.

“What we need to add to our armoury is winning scruffily when we’re not at our best. Sometimes that’s a bit of experience and sometimes it’s having the right tools.

“We need to strengthen our squad and we will do.”