Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson is hoping to retain both Zak Vyner and Sam Bell amid claims that the Championship duo are both on the radar of Scottish giants Rangers.
If Saturday’s insipid 2-0 home defeat against Birmingham City is a sign of things to come over the next few weeks – The Robins failing to even muster a shot on target after selling talismanic creator Alex Scott to AFC Bournemouth – it’s no wonder Pearson is determined to slam down the shutters and keep the rest of his star men in the building.
Rangers have been linked with both Sam Bell and Zak Vyner in recent weeks, via TEAMtalk and the Bristol Post.
But, with £25 million burning a hole in their back pockets, Pearson is hoping that Scott’s big-money departure will ki-bosh the need for further sales before next week’s transfer deadline.
Rangers linked with Bristol City duo
“It depends on if somebody comes in for a player,” Pearson says, as reported by Yahoo Sport. “But hopefully, if someone does come in for one of our players, the club doesn’t allow (another sale) to happen.
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“Because if you’ve lost a player you don’t have much time to do much (to replace them).”
Rangers boss Mick Beale was quick to play down reports linking Vyner with a move to Ibrox. Then again, it’s worth remembering that he was similarly dismissive about suggestions that Rangers were on the verge of signing Danilo, only for the former Feyenoord striker to arrive soon after.
Beale certainly wants another defender; Millwall’s Jake Cooper and Peterborough United’s much-coveted Ronnie Edwards also under consideration. Vyner may be the most affordable of the three, his contract expiring in less than 12 months’ time.
Sam Bell, meanwhile, could answer Beale’s prayers for another Ryan Kent-like winger (Daily Record).
Singled out for praise by Pep Guardiola – the Man City boss highlighted his searing pace after an FA Cup meeting in the spring – Bell scored six goals and set up three more in 2022/23 from the same left-wing role Kent made his own at Ibrox.