Nigel Pearson is open to exploring the foreign market this summer should the right deal be available but echoed the challenges of signing players within Bristol City's wage structure.
Out of the 11 players he has signed during his tenure as Bristol City manager, only two have come from abroad in goalkeepers Stefan Bajic and Nikita Haikin, both arriving on free transfers. Bajic is currently on loan at French side Valenciennes to gain first-team experience while Haikin, a January arrival, was offered a three-year deal with Bodo/Glimt.
The £1.6million fee paid for Rob Atkinson during his first transfer window remains one of two significant outlays, alongside the undisclosed fee for Anis Mehmeti, while George Tanner also signed for a fee in the region of £400,000 from Carlisle. Nonetheless, Pearson has been tasked to work within a stringent budget but will be handed more financial freedom this summer, fuelled by the £10.5million sale of Antoine Semenyo to Bournemouth in January.
