Leyton Orient should explore player's return and capitalise on Bristol City situation | OneFootball

Leyton Orient could look to reunite with a player struggling for minutes this season.

Harry Cornick spent six months on loan at Leyton Orient back in 2016.

The then-21-year-old joined the O's ahead of the 2016/17, making 13 appearances in all competitions and scoring once before suffering injury at the start of October and being recalled by parent club Bournemouth.

The winger made a fantastic impression on many fans during his time in E10, providing a bright spark in an otherwise dim season that saw Orient finish bottom of League Two and fall out of the Football League for the first time in their 125-year history.

Since then, Cornick and the East Londoners have both gone through very different situations, but an opportunity could arise for the O's to reunite with their former loan star this summer.

Harry Cornick has carved out a solid EFL career

After being recalled by the Cherries, Cornick spent the second half of the 2016/17 season on loan at Gillingham, making six League One appearances.

Upon returning to the South Coast, he joined Luton Town for an undisclosed fee.

Cornick made an instant impact, playing a crucial role in the Hatters' consecutive promotions from League Two to the Championship between 2017 and 2019. Following that, he only missed ten league appearances across the next three years as Luton solidified themselves in the second tier.

In January 2023, however, he made a permanent move to fellow Championship side Bristol City, where he became a regular fixture for his first 18 months in the South West.

However, since the arrival of manager Liam Manning in October 2023, Cornick's place in the side came into question and he has found himself getting a lot less regular game time.

His solitary goal of the season came in his second Championship appearance of the season, coming off the bench to score a late winner at Millwall at the start of March.

Prior to the most recent transfer window in January, Manning confirmed that they would allow the forward to speak to other clubs.

He said: "With January coming up, I'm sure he'll want to explore options as we'll allow him to."

That would leave most to assume that as he enters the final 12 months of his contract, the winger will be available in the summer window.

Leyton Orient need attacking reinforcements in the summer

Any potential move for Cornick could be considered perfect timing for an O's side that will be looking for an influx of forward players once the window opens.

Both Theo Archibald and Jordan Graham have suffered several long-term across the last two seasons, and with both their contracts expiring, it is unlikely that either will return to E10 next season.

January signing Randell Williams is also set to depart at the end of the season, after arriving in East London on a six-month deal with no option to extend.

Players that have deputised out wide this season, such as Dan Agyei, Ethan Galbraith, and Jayden Sweeney, also have their contracts set to expire, as it awaits to be seen whether they will remain as Leyton Orient players next season.

This could potentially open a window for the O's to make a move, whether it be a temporary or a permanent one, for a player like Cornick, who is far too good to not be utilised at some level of the Football League.

Should the winger return to E10, it would not be viewed as a move blinded by nostalgia, but rather a talented winger in the prime of his career that could help the O's improve and keep pushing up the football pyramid.