Bristol City in talks over deal for 17-goal forward | OneFootball

Bristol City are in talks to sign Brescia striker Florian Aye, according to journalist Nicolo Schira.

The Robins’ summer looks set to be a busy one with Nigel Pearson looking to start his squad rebuild after 11 senior players were released at the end of their contracts.

Among those was striker Famara Diedhiou, who scored 51 goals across four seasons with the Bs3 club, and finding a replacement for him looks likely to be high on Pearson’s list of priorities.

Despite the fact that the start of the transfer is just less than a week away, it seems they’re wasting no time in trying to add some more firepower to the City squad.

Schira, a European journalist and transfer specialist, has reported that the Robins are in talks to sign Aye from Brescia.

It is understood City have offered €2 million (£1.79m) for the 24-year-old Frenchman, who scored 17 goals and added five assists as he helped his side reach the Serie B play-offs.

Aye is entering the final year of his deal at the Italian club, which may mean they’re open to cashing in on him this summer.

The Robins are no stranger to signing strikers from Europe, with Milan Djuric arriving from Italian outfit Cesena in 2017, Gustav Engvall making the move from Swedish side IFK Goteborg and both Diedhiou and Jonathan Kodjia joining from French clubs.

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The Verdict

No side in the Championship had fewer shots than the Robins last season, highlighting that solving their attacking problems needs to be a top priority for Pearson.

With Diedhiou having departed, at least one new recruit is needed in the forward line and Aye looks a very interesting addition.

He’s shown for Brescia this season that he can be a lethal finisher when he’s on song, while his movement in the box and pace often a nuisance for opposition defences.

Aye is untested in the Championship or English football but he’s scored at least 17 goals in two of his last three seasons (one in Serie B and one in Ligue 2), so could be an exciting addition.