Bristol City could be set for a small but surprisingly welcome summer windfall with Blackburn Rovers pushing to sign former Robins forward Sammie Szmodics.
Peterborough rejected three bids from City’s Championship rivals earlier this month but Rovers have returned with a fresh £2.5million approach which has forced the League One club’s hand. Football Insider have reported that talks are at an “advanced stage” over Szmodics making the move from London Road to Ewood Park.
From City’s point of view, that figure could net them around £300,000 following the sell-on clause that was inserted by former CEO Mark Ashton when Szmodics was sold to Posh in 2020 for around £1m. That ensures City 20 per cent of any profits from further sales, which works out at a fifth of £1.5m.
It’s not the transfer window-changing amount that has been hoped for regarding Lloyd Kelly or Adam Webster being sold by their respective Premier League clubs, nor even Josh Brownhill leaving Burnley, but it does help raise further revenue in the market as the Robins look to meet the EFL's Profit & Sustainability regulations for next season.
City have been steadfast and firm in their valuations of Antoine Semenyo and Alex Scott which, so far, have caused suitors to look elsewhere believing the duo are being over-priced relative to their talent.
But that, coupled with Semenyo’s injury, has allowed the Robins to keep hold of their two prized assets, while bids for Han-Noah Massengo haven’t been as forthcoming as what was originally forecast as the midfielder enters the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate.
City have moved Kasey Palmer and Tyreeq Bakinson on, with both players no longer part of Nigel Pearson’s plans, and although the pair were sold for undisclosed fees, Bristol Live understands them to be minimal, raising a low six-figure amount between them. Indeed, a report from our sister site Yorkshire Live detailed how Bakinson joined Sheffield Wednesday for “a five figure sum”.
Szmodics joined City from Colchester United in the summer of 2019 among a raft of new arrivals in BS3 but after an impressive pre-season for the Robins found his opportunities in the Championship limited.
After making just four appearances in the first half of the season he was loaned to Peterborough in January 2020 and impressed during his time at London Road to convince Posh to spend seven figures on him.
In 85 appearances for the League One side, he’s scored 27 goals and was a key member of the side that one promotion into the Championship in 2021 before their relegation back to the third tier last season.
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