Bristol City urged to take transfer "gamble" on Luton Town star | OneFootball

Football League World's Bristol City fan pundit outlined his dream signing for the summer transfer window

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Bristol City turned heads during the 2024/25 Championship campaign by recording a first top-six finish in 16 years, but significant squad investment may be required in this summer's transfer window in order to replicate or usurp that feat once again next time out.

The Robins were undoubtedly the division's surprise package by ending years of mid-table mediocrity to ruffle feathers and secure a sixth-placed finish on the final day, although they were soon undone by Sheffield United in a historic 6-0 thrashing across two legs in the play-off semi-finals.

They will now intend on continuing that upwards trajectory, however, instead of allowing it to be a simple flash in the pan.

Much will depend on the future of highly-rated head coach Liam Manning, who is of reported interest to Championship rivals Norwich City, and he may demand more significant backing in the market this summer if he is to remain at Ashton Gate to launch a fresh promotion bid.

Bristol City urged to sign Luton Town's Alfie Doughty this summer

One player who Bristol City have been urged to sign is Alfie Doughty. The wing-back was relegated from the Championship with Luton Town but enjoyed a strong campaign on an individual note, having also impressed in the Premier League the season before.

You would imagine that the 25-year-old will not be plying his trade in English football's third-tier next term, and he is likely to have a host of suitors from the Championship in the coming months.

Doughty was the selection of our Robins fan pundit, Tom Sandy, after being asked to name one realistic player he would love his side to acquire this summer.

According to Tom, the former Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City wide-man is a "fantastic player" who would represent an excellent tactical fit in Manning's 3-4-2-1 system, where the wing-backs are required to offer width, energy and influence at both ends of the pitch - even if the two relegations he has suffered in as many seasons make any deal a potential "gamble".

"One realistic signing our club could possibly make in the summer, and one I'd love, would be Alfie Doughty from Luton," Tom told FLW.

"Obviously he's going to be a very sought-after player in the transfer window after his relegation to League One with Luton. He would be a fantastic player with Bristol City and would fit really well in our system, where we need attacking full-backs who can still defend well.

"Our season fizzled out as we lost those sort of assets in our team. [Ross] McCrorie ran out of gas, Mark Sykes got injured, and we just couldn't compete at the same level that we were when we have Yu Hirakawa playing at wing-back. He's a winger and not a wing-back, he's not used to playing that deep and he's best when he's on the edge of the box attacking players, hitting bylines because that's what he does best.

"He's not as strong defensively as someone like Sykes is. To have an asset likes Sykes on the other wing, and to bring in a player who can deliver high-quality balls to strikers and give us another option would be fantastic.

"That's why I think Doughty would be a really, really good signing. Whether it's realistic, I'm not sure - a lot of clubs are going to be after him and it will come down to who can pay him more - I'm not sure we can do that.

"However, he has just been relegated twice. Maybe it's a bit of a gamble. Maybe some teams won't be looking at him because they'll think 'he couldn't stop Luton getting relegated from the Championship so he's not going to get us promoted to the Premier League.'

"So you never know. I think he's a player we should definitely be looking at, because he would improve us massively and give us the potential to kick on."

Alfie Doughty's Luton Town contract amid Bristol City transfer wish

The caveat to signing Doughty is that, in spite of Luton's relegation, he will not come cheaply and that could be a challenge for a club often operating on a tighter budget to many divisional peers. Luton are still in receipt of parachute payments and tied Doughty down to a contract extension, which is undisclosed in length, back in September.

Capology, meanwhile, estimates that Doughty is earning a weekly wage of £27,500, and he would likely demand something of an increase, too.

If Bristol City have the funds to pull off such a deal then it would be a real no-brainer, but there are obvious obstacles at play.