"Disappointed" Dom Ballard revelation dropped after Bristol City transfer bids snubbed | OneFootball

Bristol City have been linked with the signing of Dom Ballard

Bristol City will be aiming to get back into the promotion mix next season after a disappointing fall to 12th in 2025/26.

The Robins competed in the play-offs in 2025, but dropped to 11 points adrift of the top six in the previous campaign.

Michael Skubala has been appointed as head coach in a bid to get the club back to a strong competitive position, having led Lincoln City to promotion from League One.

The 43-year-old will be looking to bolster his first team squad between now and the 1 September when the transfer market closes.

The Championship side have already added Lisav Naif Eissat, Sam Greenwood, Gibson Yah and Sam Tickle for fees, in what looks to be a real backing of new head coach Skubala.

Jed Wallace and Brad Collins have both also joined as free agents, but Bristol City have yet to be successful in their pursuit of Leyton Orient forward Dom Ballard, and look to have turned their attentions to Plymouth Argyle star Lorent Tolaj instead.

Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens provides Dom Ballard transfer update

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It was reported earlier this month that Bristol City had a second offer to Leyton Orient for Ballard rejected, following his 23-goal haul in League One last season.

And now O's boss Richie Wellens has claimed that the Robins have potentially turned their attention elsewhere, suggesting that their pursuit of the forward has come to an end without a successful offer.

He believes that there could yet still be interest in the 21-year-old, but that the club are now planning for the upcoming campaign with him as part of the first team squad.

“We’ve had a bid from Bristol that I thought would get done, if I’m being honest,” Wellens told the Orient media team, via social media platform X.

“But just didn’t go that extra little bit, maybe Bristol have turned elsewhere now, so we just need to get Dom’s head down, work.

“He’s been brilliant since he found out the news.

“He’s obviously disappointed, he wants to play in the Championship, financially it’s very rewarding for him.

“But his attitude the last few days has been spot on, and now we need to move forward with planning on him being here, but understanding that now when the World Cup finishes and these Championship [players] come back that we might be at risk of losing him.

“So we need, for me, these next two weeks we need to be aggressive in the transfer market and make sure we’re prepared.”

Ballard joined Leyton Orient last summer from Southampton, and he went on to enjoy a strong campaign despite the London outfit’s drop in form.

The O’s went from a play-off place to 20th in the League One table, yet the 21-year-old scored 23 goals and registered four assists from 40 appearances in the third tier.

This has fuelled speculation over a possible exit, but now Bristol City’s interest looks to have cooled after two unsuccessful attempts to lure him from Leyton Orient.

How Bristol City fans feel about Dom Ballard pursuit

Bristol City fans have expressed their disappointment at the prospect of missing out on the signing of Ballard, but that the potential arrival of Lorent Tolaj from Plymouth Argyle could make up for it.

However, some believe that Wellens’ comments still indicate that a move could be on the cards.

It’s been suggested that the Leyton Orient boss is applying pressure on Bristol City to get a deal done, so that they will have funds for their own transfer plans.

Bristol City can really back Michael Skubala with Dom Ballard signing

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Bristol City haven’t been willing to spend over the top in the transfer market in the past, but if they want to get back into promotion contention then they may need to put their money where their mouth is.

Ballard had an exceptional goal scoring campaign, and he could now be ready to step up to the Championship, particularly as he is still only 21.

It would be a strong backing of Skubala for Bristol City to go back in for Ballard again, but the impending arrival of Tolaj does indicate that their pursuit of the Leyton Orient forward is over.

Tolaj similarly had a strong campaign in League One, and he will be a promising addition for the Robins, which would make up for the blow of missing out on Ballard.