Ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup fifth round trip to Bristol City in March, much of the pre-match discussion centred around one Alex Scott.
And that came as no real surprise. Scott, after all, was rapidly establishing himself not only as the talisman of Ashton Gate but as the most exciting young talent in the whole of the EFL. Comparisons with Man City’s own number ten – they call him the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ for a reason – only served to further capture the imagination.
But while Pep Guardiola was predictably effusive about Scott’s talents after Man City’s eventual 3-0 win – going all Nathan Redmond on the 19-year-old playmaker – the Etihad boss was also keen to pay tribute to another fresh-faced up-and-comer who went head-to-head with the best team in Europe and came out with his reputation enhanced.
Rangers eyeing up Bristol City’s Sam Bell
“The wingers are so fast, (including Sam) Bell,” Guardiola said, via Bristol World. “They made a really good impression.”
While Scott certainly lived up to his lofty billing against City – embarking upon the sort of beguiling, snake-hipped slaloms that Grealish has made his trademark – it was arguably his 21-year-old team-mate who caused Guardiola’s heart to tick that little bit faster on the banks of the Severn.
TEAMtalk report that Rangers are one of a number of clubs keeping tabs on the Bristol-born Bell. And that Man City display offers a tantalising insight as to why. Lining up in his favoured left-wing role, the jet-heeled Bell came within a posts’ width of opening the scoring, he nearly scored a header at 1-0, and was a constant menace to Guardiola’s backline with his searing pace in behind.
The sight of Bell’s Bristol City team-mates angling regular crossfield passes into his path belied the fact that he was the most likely to coax out a famous goal for the hosts on a night of several ‘what could’ve beens?’.
‘A very bright footballer’
Overshadowed by Scott and fellow youngster Tommy Conway in the first half of last term, Bell really started to chime post-Christmas. He ended the season with six goals and three assists, before picking up where he left off with a typically predatory finish in Saturday’s Championship opener against Preston North End.
“Sam Bell deserves that recognition because of the quality of his two finishes,” Robins boss Nigel Pearson beamed after the academy graduate scored twice against West Brom in the spring.
“Sam has had to be patient with the players ahead of him. But he has had a very successful run of performance and goalscoring in the Under-21s.
“Sam is very intelligent. He is a bright footballer, very well liked within the squad and he has a humility which also shines through. We are delighted for him. His two goals today were brilliant and they show the type of quality we are trying to produce at this club.”
Confirmation of Fashion Sakala’s long-awaited switch to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday – and with both Rabbi Matondo and Scott Wright also facing uncertain futures – means there could still be space at Ibrox for another speedy wide player.
And Sam Bell would arrive in Glasgow with Pep Guardiola’s seal of approval.
