Nigel Pearson and Bristol City's transfer window was always going to produce tough challenges this summer.
While it's still far from over with the market closing on September 1, there's no doubt it has been a successful window so far despite the quietness regarding any more potential incomings in recent weeks.
Pearson moved quickly to bring in three outfield players and address last season's weaknesses with wing-back Kane Wilson, central defender Kal Naismith and versatile attacking midfielder Mark Sykes joining ranks. Then there's young goalkeeper Stefan Bajic who could have a very bright future for the Robins in goal.
Those extra challenges of strengthening the side were amplified by the fact the manager barely had a dime to spend. All four arrived on free transfers (albeit a small compensation fee to Forest Green for Wilson) with Pearson tasked with the job of reducing the wage bill so the club can try and fall in line with the EFL's Profit and Sustainability rules.
Pearson dampened expectations that there will be many more players arriving through the door this summer even reluctantly suggesting their business could be done and dusted unless one or two other players leave the club.
What has been equally as important as bringing in new faces was the task of keeping hold of their star players. Alex Scott and Antoine Semenyo are the two that jump to the fore but players like Joe Williams, Andi Weimann and Jay Dasilva are all set to play a big role in the upcoming campaign.
It is worth noting that Pearson admitted there has been interest in some first-team players, by saying: "There has been some interest in one or two players we don't want to leave so that's as important as the lack of interest in the players we might want to leave."
City have allowed five players to leave the club, one in particular that the club would have preferred to keep around in central defender Robbie Cundy who left for Barnsley on a free transfer. Callum O'Dowda joined Cardiff on a free, while Taylor Moore (Shrewsbury on loan), Kasey Palmer (Coventry, undisclosed) and Tyreeq Bakinson (Sheffield Wednesday, reported five-figure sum).
While the term "dead wood" doesn't seem particularly apt, only Cundy and O'Dowda had a bit-part role to play last season. The defender making 10 starts and O'Dowda with 16 starts before losing his place in the side in the second half of the campaign.
Allowing players to leave and removing their salaries from the wage bill will be deemed as a success for the manager while keeping the core of his first-team together. Thanks to data from Twitter account @AnalyticsQpr it shows City have the least percentage of squad minutes lost from last season compared to any other club in the Championship.
Reading have the highest, ahead of Cardiff and Stoke and while it can be eyed as a positive and negative, depending on the performance of last season and whether a squad needs a dramatic overhaul, from a City perspective it can only be positive that Pearson has had extra time to develop a side and build on the foundations laid on from last season.
From a Cardiff point of view, manager Steve Morison has signed 13 new players which means they are a relatively unknown quantity heading into the new campaign. Normally it can take a large group of new signings to gel and develop into the system the manager wants them to play.
Here's the full details of the percentage of squad minutes lost from the previous Championship season:
- Reading - 56
- Cardiff - 53
- Stoke City - 47
- Burnley - 41
- Birmingham City - 40
- Hull City - 39
- Watford - 39
- QPR - 37
- Rotherham United - 36
- Blackburn Rovers - 36
- Huddersfield - 34
- Middlesbrough - 32
- Swansea City - 31
- Preston - 31
- Norwich - 29
- Sunderland - 25
- Millwall - 23
- West Brom - 22
- Sheffield United - 22
- Coventry - 17
- Blackpool - 17
- Luton - 16
- Wigan - 9
- Bristol City - 8
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
READ NEXT
