Kane Wilson has completed his transfer to Derby County for an undisclosed fee, ending a disappointing and unfulfilled 12 months at Bristol City.
Wilson arrived in the West Country amid considerable fanfare last summer but endured an injury-plagued time at Ashton Gate which limited him to just seven appearances as he increasingly fell out of favour under Nigel Pearson, with his only starts coming in the League Cup in August.
The wing-back has signed a two-year contract at Pride Park having undergone a medical earlier on Monday. Although occurring at roughly the same time, Wilson’s move to the East Midlands is not directly influencing the Jason Knight transfer in the opposite direction, although the Republic of Ireland international is expected to be confirmed as a Robins player in the next 24 hours.
City have reported the transfer is an "undisclosed fee", whereas Derby have stated it's an "undisclosed agreement". The terms are thought to be based on how many appearances he makes for the Rams with various other clauses included.
Wilson saw a transfer to Bolton Wanderers collapse last month but in sealing a switch to Derby has ensured he’s moved to another high-level League One team with designs on promotion into the Championship. Derby manager Paul Warne was keen on taking Wilson to former club Rotherham United last summer and has maintained interest in the defender, something which has aided the Rams in negotiations.
His time at City looked uncertain from the moment he returned from a knee injury at the start of the year, as he initially only featured for the Under-21s before eventually losing his place in the senior matchday 18 to academy prospect Harry Leeson. His final appearance proved to be a 10-minute cameo in a 2-0 defeat at Swansea City in March.
With George Tanner cementing his spot as first-choice right-back, the development of Leeson and the signing of Ross McCrorie from Aberdeen, Wilson was effectively relegated to fourth choice. A status only emphasised by the fact he wasn’t taken on City’s pre-season training camp to Austria, as he stayed behind to train with the U21s and secure a move away from the West Country.
Should all obligations be met over time, City would effectively cover the compensation paid to Forest Green Rovers last summer, ensuring the 23-year-old's time at Ashton Gate was an unsuccessful but ultimately inexpensive experiment.
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