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A confusing Bristol City update appears

Yesterday, news broke that Bristol City striker Tommy Conway has been forced to train with the club’s under-21s ahead of the new campaign.

The 21-year-old is out of contract next summer and, despite two offers of new terms, is yet to commit his future to his boyhood club. This has led to speculation that his time at Ashton Gate could be coming to an end, with Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers both linked with a move.

Conway finished as the Robins’ top scorer in each of the last two seasons. He became a key part of the team under Nigel Pearson, then Liam Manning, although the latter is apparently preparing for life without his talisman. Talking to Bristol Live earlier this week the former Oxford United boss said:

“Tommy had a contract offer on the table, which is an excellent offer. This was refused and was not negotiated with the player expressing his desire to leave.

A confusing Bristol City update appears

“The decision has been made for him to train with the U21s, focusing entirely on players who are fully involved in what we are trying to achieve.

“We hope to add to our lot in the new future. It’s been a positive couple of weeks with the team and I’m happy with the way things are going. We are preparing for the pre-season friendlies, which will be a good test for the players.”

The initial report states that there was no influence between the player and the manager, which Football Insider they also confirmed. However, the latter suggest Conway did not ask to leave the club and the decision to send the forward to the under-21s has angered some players and staff. It is also claimed that City’s latest contract bid was rejected as the Scotland international felt it was “below market value”.

It is said that Rangers will now look to capitalize on the situation and could materialize their interest. The Glasgow outfit are looking to boost their front line after missing out on the Scottish Premiership by eight points last season. James Tavernier was the club’s most recent Golden Boot winner, a feat he achieved from right back.

The writer’s vision

To put it bluntly, this is a mess. What’s even more puzzling is that there has been no row between Conway and Manning, although the boss clearly feels he needs to prepare his squad for the eventuality that the striker leaves the club before the end of the transfer window.

The last thing Ashton Gate needs at the moment is uncertainty within the playing staff. It is interesting to note that some members of the team seem to be unhappy and this will be the first real test of Manning’s reign. While it is an undesirable situation, it is looking increasingly likely that the youngster will leave, with Scotland the likely destination.

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