FLW have taken a look at the talent Bristol City have produced over the years and ranked by value, according to Transfermarkt.
Bristol City have produced a plethora of talent in recent years – with several players now regulars in the Robins lineup.
Bristol City moved quickly to bring in some fresh faces to Ashton Gate this window, the likes of Rob Dickie and Ross McCrorie arriving on permanent deals to revitalise the defensive department. Haydon Roberts has also joined the club on a free transfer from Brighton after totting up 37 appearances with Derby County last term with former teammate Jason Knight also joining him in the West Country.
Many of the incomings come in as replacements for those who have already departed: Han-Noah Massengo, Kane Wilson, Taylor Moore and Jay Dasilve all seeking new challenges.
This comes after another season of mid-table safety for the Robins, albeit with an improved 14th place finish, their highest since the 2019/20 season.
Naturally, the transfer market is the go-to solution as Nigel Pearson looks for an advantage over Championship competition, with the players already through the door hoping to do just that, but without an endless pool of money teams need to be creative when setting up their squads.
For Bristol City, turning to the academy has proved fruitful over the years to both improve the first-team squad as well as generating significant funds to use in the transfer market.
Here we take a look at the top ten most valuable academy graduates the club has produced currently, according to Transfermarkt – values of which are only estimates.
10Cameron Pring – €1 million
Pring joined the academy setup in 2016 after progressing through the ranks at Cheltenham Town. Operating effectively in both left-back and wing-back roles, the 25-year-old experienced a series of non-league loans throughout the footballing pyramid before a move to Newport County in League Two.
Pring amassed more than 40 appearances across both the third and fourth tier with the Exiles as well as former club Cheltenham Town, Walsall and Portsmouth. He soon graduated to first-team regular after a final loan spell with Pompey, registering 32 Championship appearances in first season at Ashton Gate.
Pring has now become a mainstay in the Robins backline as the main left-back in the past three seasons and a consistent performer at this level.
9Max O’Leary – €1.2 million
O’Leary has established himself as the Robins no.1 ahead of the 2023/24 season but it has been far from a simple journey. The 26-year-old enjoyed various loan spells at non-league outfits at Kidderminster Harriers, Bath City and Solihull Moors before experiencing a run-out in between the sticks for Bristol City during the 2018/19 season as an alternative to Niki Mäenpää.
A further loan spell the following year to Shrewsbury Town proved to be another beneficial experience but would not prove to be serious competition for the number one shirt until last season, taking the responsibility from long-serving keeper Daniel Bentley before his departure to Wolves.
The Irishman clocked up 33 appearances in the Championship last campaign and looks to hold down his spot for the foreseeable future.
8Wes Burns – €1.2 million
Making his debut back in 2013, Burns was part of the 2014-15 Football League Trophy winning squad while making 44 league appearances for the Robins across the Championship and League One.
Much of his time was spent out on loans, spending time at Forest Green Rovers, Oxford United, Cheltenham Town, Fleetwood Town and Aberdeen before returning to the Fishermen on a permanent basis in 2017.
The winger soon established himself as a regular in Lancashire, amassing more than 130 appearances and scoring 16 times across four seasons.
The Welsh international is now a key member of Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich, recording 19 goal contributions in their promotion-winning campaign back to the Championship and is a vital component of the attacking quartet.
7Tommy Conway – €2.2 million
Conway has quickly become one of Bristol City’s most exciting forwards in recent times, becoming a regular figure on the team sheet and goalscoring leaderboards. Making nine league appearances and various cup outings in his first two seasons for the Robins, last campaign proved to be a breakthrough year for the 21-year-old.
The Scottish youth international played 34 times and scored nine – the Robins second-highest scorer last term and will be aiming to become the new man to lead the line going forward, despite a recent injury ruling him out for the next three months.
6Joe Bryan – €2.2 million
Joe Bryan proved to be a crucial member of the Bristol City eleven many years before his departure – after making his debut in March 2012 he went on to make more than 200 appearances for the Robins, including winning the League One title as well as a member of the infamous EFL Cup quarter-final win against Manchester United.
He moved on to the Premier League in 2018 to play for Fulham where he totted up another 100 appearances for the Cottagers including two different stints in the top flight before moving on loan to OGC Nice last season. With just six appearances all season, the experienced left-back has since moved on to fellow London club Millwall in search of more regular game time back in the Championship.
5Zak Vyner – €2.5 million
Making his league debut in 2015, game time for Zak Vyner was sporadic with numerous loans helping on his way to become a first-team regular. Various spells across the EFL with Accrington Stanley, Plymouth Argyle, Rotherham United as well as a final move to Scotland with Aberdeen, he began to stake his claim at his parent club from the 2020/21 season onwards, making 43 appearances.
The centre-back has since gone on to make more than 60 appearances since that season and looks to form a formidable partnership with new recruit Rob Dickie.
4Bobby Decordova-Reid – €7 million
A significant jump in value, Decordova-Reid became one of the most talked about players in the Championship in his final season at Ashton Gate. Making his debut in 2011, after various loan spells – including three separate stints at Plymouth Argyle – he began to assert himself into the fold during the 2013/14 season, registering 24 appearances before moving back to the Pilgrims the following season.
The following two campaigns saw the Jamaican international play regularly before becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet in 2017, scoring 19 and assisting seven times as Lee Johnson’s side recorded a top-half finish and an emphatic EFL Cup journey
The forward now plies his trade at Fulham where he has played more than 100 times for the club after joining on an initial loan spell from Cardiff City, after the Bluebirds bought Decordova Reid from the Robins for a reported £10m fee.
3Antoine Semenyo – €9 million
Antoine Semenyo is another exciting forward to have come out of the Bristol City ranks. Following stints at Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland, he managed to force himself into the first team picture, making 44 league appearances in his first full season for the Robins.
The 2021/22 season proved to be his best season in front of goal to date, registering 20 goal contributions in 31 matches with his side safely away from the relegation battle. The Ghanaian international has since departed for the Premier League, signing with Bournemouth for a reported £10m fee and went on to make 11 appearances in his debut campaign while scoring his first top-flight goal in a 4-1 win over Leeds United.
2Lloyd Kelly – €18 million
While Kelly was not in the first team setup for long, he certainly made an impression. After an EFL Cup debut in August 2017, he made another 11 Championship appearances. The following season he became a consistent member of the backline – another 32 appearances often operating on the left-hand side of the defence.
He did not stick around, however, with the Premier League calling. A move to Bournemouth for a reported £13 million fee was the next step, making just eight top-flight appearances in his debut campaign which saw the Cherries relegated. Nevertheless, he has since become a regular throughout the journey back and into the Premier League with more than 100 appearances on the south coast.
1Alex Scott – €20 million
A hot topic of conversation, Alex Scott’s move to Bournemouth will be a massive blow to the Robins after developing one of the greatest talents in the division. At just 16, he signed a contract with Bristol City after showcasing his talent at Guernsey FC where he would continue to impress within various age categories.
In his debut campaign, he made three Championship appearances before quickly establishing himself as a key player the following campaign. With 80 appearances in the past two seasons, Scott has demonstrated brilliant technical ability while his vision and rangw of passes have been instrumental in kickstarting attacking moves from all over the midfield.
He was awarded the EFL Championship Young Player of the Year award for his efforts last season with there being little surprise of the Premier League interest this window.
