Nigel Pearson remains optimistic that Han-Noah Massengo could sign a new deal at Bristol City but also concedes the club want to avoid a situation where he runs his contract down and leaves on a free next summer.
Massengo has had an offer on the table since the end of last year with the club keen for the French midfielder to maintain his development in the West Country having invested significant time and money in the 20-year-old since signing him from Monaco in 2019.
Bristol Live understands that while there have been inevitable enquiries for Massengo, the Robins are yet to receive a formal offer for him this summer, which puts the player and the club in a potentially difficult situation.
Ideally, City want Massengo to extend his contract beyond 2023 but the window for that to be achieved is shrinking by the day and once September 1 passes, his value drops significantly to the point it almost guarantees his departure for nothing more than compensation in 12 months.
Ultimately the decision lies with the player, and whether Massengo sees the next stage of his career in Bristol or elsewhere. But for City to move him on, they need an acceptable offer to do so; a subjective figure which is likely to change as the summer window develops.
“I don’t think I’ve said anything other than if he stays here, I’d be really happy,” Pearson said at the High Performance Centre on Friday. “But I’m also conscious of the other side of the argument and that is, in an ideal world we don’t want players to run their contracts down, especially when we’ve invested a lot of time and money in players.
“The ideal solution if Han-Noah stays is that he signs a new deal and that would be the outcome that I would prefer and, if not, then I’m sure the speculation about him leaving will continue.”
Massengo has returned to training as normal at the HPC, fully involved as part of the squad and there has been no indication of him pushing for a move or his attitude changing as a result of the uncertainty around his future.
So far, the only logical exit route looks to be to his homeland with Lyon and Nice among the interested parties. But clubs being keen on the midfielder is very different to actually bidding for him, and some of his suitors could consider it better value to try and sign him on a free next summer than investing now, given how precarious football finances are outside of the Premier League.
Likewise, with full knowledge of his circumstances at City, could wait until much later in the window before making an approach, knowing the clock is ticking and the Robins have to make a decision.
Pearson and Massengo’s relationship remains strong, with the Frenchman set to join the squad on their European training camp in the Alps and he remains very much part of the first-team conversation even with the prospect of him leaving over the next months.
“I’ve had a couple of conversations with him already. The offer is still on the table,” Pearson added. “As I’ve already pointed out, the ideal solution would be to stay but sign his extension and that’s what we would like because otherwise we have to try and protect our interests.
“The conversations I’ve had with him so far are along the lines of, I don’t think any differently of him. He’s got value to the squad; he gives energy and aggression, he’s a popular player. But business and emotion don’t always fit together so I have to remain realistic about it but I think it’s clear from what I said, him staying and signing would be the best solution.
“I try to keep my thoughts very, very simple. The players themselves will, in many ways, dictate their own futures. If players are here, I’ll utilise them, if I feel the necessity to do that. Han-Noah is a really good person as well. I hope we can find a solution which is satisfactory for all parties, that’s what I’d really like.”
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