Bristol City suffer second setback in transfer race for Leyton Orient's Dom Ballard | OneFootball

Bristol City have submitted a second offer for Dom Ballard

Bristol City are looking to improve their first team squad this summer after falling to 12th in the Championship table.

The Robins earned a play-off place in 2025, but were unable to compete for promotion to the Premier League over the last 12 months.

Gerhard Struber was dismissed in late March amid the team’s poor run of form, and Roy Hodgson returned to see out the remainder of the campaign, leading the team to 12th.

Bristol City have appointed Michael Skubala as their new permanent head coach after he earned a lot of plaudits for guiding Lincoln City to promotion from League One.

It is likely to be a busy summer transfer window, with the 43-year-old looking to shape the squad to his liking.

The club will have until 1 September to complete any of their transfer plans before the market shuts until January of next year.

Bristol City’s Dom Ballard bid response

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According to Football Insider, the Robins’ second bid to sign Dom Ballard from Leyton Orient has been rejected.

Bristol City are keen to bolster their forward options following Skubala’s appointment, and have turned their attention to the League One striker.

It was originally reported that the Championship side bid £2.5 million in their first offer earlier this month.

It remains to be seen whether the Bristol outfit will continue their pursuit, with FLW exclusively revealing earlier this month that Leyton Orient are seeking up to £5 million for his services.

The O’s intend to hold firm on their demands due to Ballard having a contract with the club until June 2028, giving them a strong negotiating position.

The 21-year-old contributed 23 goals and four assists last season as Leyton Orient finished 20th in the table.

How Bristol City and Leyton Orient fans feel about Dom Ballard’s future

Bristol City supporters have urged the club to move on from their pursuit of Ballard after a second offer was rejected.

The Championship side have been told to turn their attention to the likes of Will Lankshear and Lorent Tolaj.

Meanwhile, Leyton Orient supporters have backed their club’s stance on Ballard’s future, claiming that Bristol City will have to pay up to win the race to his signature.

While they expect the striker to leave this summer, they believe he will be going elsewhere unless the Robins decide to significantly increase their offer.

Ballard joined Leyton Orient from Southampton last year, with the team narrowly avoiding relegation to League Two.

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Leyton Orient have no reason to reduce their Dom Ballard asking price

Unless Leyton Orient are seriously desperate for some cash, and there are no indications that they are, they have no reason to cash in on Ballard at a lower cost.

The striker proved a valuable addition to the team last summer, and they would’ve been relegated but for his consistent goals.

So a fee closer to £5 million is a reasonable ask at this stage, particularly as he still has two years left on his deal, and he is sure to have interest from other Championship clubs.

If Bristol City are serious about signing the 21-year-old, then they will need to step up with an improved offer, or else it's time to turn their attention to other targets.