Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson says Jay Dasilva's future at the club beyond the summer has yet to be decided.
The left-back is one of six notable players whose deals are expiring at the end of June alongside Zak Vyner, Tomas Kalas, goalkeeper Nikita Haikin, Han-Noah Massengo and Andy King. City have a year's option on Vyner's contract but have yet to activate his extension despite his turnaround of form this season.
Dasilva, 24, lost his place in the side following the 3-1 victory over Rotherham in December which he was forced to miss out with illness. It handed Cam Pring his opportunity his stake his claim after four games as a central defender and the academy prospect grabbed his chance with both hands.
The 25-year-old has become Nigel Pearson's first choice left-back ever since with a string of consistent performances but given City's current injury crisis with defenders Kalas, Rob Atkinson and Kal Naismith all sidelined, Dasilva has come back into the side for the last two matches with Pring moving alongside Vyner in the middle.
Dasilva almost departed BS3 in January with Championship rivals Coventry City eager to add him to their squad. However, that deal hinged on whether City could sign AFC Wimbledon's Jack Currie, and after having three bids rejected on transfer deadline day, they were forced to back down in negotiations.
It's a possibility City could reignite their interest in the 21-year-old over the summer which casts doubt on Dasilva's long-term future with the club. When asked to clarify his current situation, Nigel Pearson said: "Let's not look any further than he's in the side at the minute, I think he's playing very well, and there is no definite outcome at the moment.
"But I've always liked Jay, he's a really good footballer so we'll see where it goes."
In December, Pearson confirmed a number of first-team players had been offered new deals but conceded the top earners "will all be offered less than they're on now." Nahki Wells signed a new deal at the end of last year on reduced terms.
Dasilva is one of the top earners among the squad having joined in the summer of 2019 when City spent big with the hope of reaching the Premier League. Since Pearson's appointment in 2021, there has been a focus and necessity to reduce the wage bill to fall in line with the EFL's Profit and Sustainability rules but also to limit the salary disparity among the squad.
Goalkeeper Dan Bentley, who was out of contract in June, left to join Wolves in the January window while Timm Klose and Chris Martin both left on mutual terms on deadline day. Last year, Dasilva admitted he was forced to consider his City future after losing his place in the team.
He previously said: "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't something I had thought about but my main focus was to get back into the team. I don't think anything was close at all it was just an option.
"I wanted to be here, that was my main focus to do what I can. It's not easy, every footballer wants to play football."
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