Bristol City set to lose out on Premier League defender to Championship rivals despite £350k bid

Bristol City’s plans to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window appear to have suffered a setback, with the Championship promotion hopefuls now expected to miss out on a highly rated young defender despite tabling a reported offer.

The Robins had been hopeful of adding a promising 20-year-old left-back to their ranks as they look to bolster depth for the second half of the season. However, developments elsewhere in the Championship suggest that one of their rivals has moved ahead in the race, leaving City to reconsider their options.

Bristol City are in a relatively strong financial position heading into the window. A significant boost came from the lucrative transfer of former winger Antoine Semenyo, who moved from Bournemouth to Manchester City for a fee of around £65 million. Crucially for the Ashton Gate club, a sell-on clause negotiated when Semenyo left for the Premier League in January 2023 ensured that City benefitted handsomely from the deal. That windfall has given the club room to manoeuvre as they aim to push on in the promotion race.

Middlesbrough have beaten Bristol City to the signature of a talented left-back. | Getty Images

So far, Bristol City have already made a couple of notable additions. Experienced midfielder Sam Morsy has been brought in after cutting short his spell in Kuwait, adding leadership and know-how to the middle of the park. In addition, the Robins successfully secured the return of George Earthy on a second loan spell from West Ham United, with the young midfielder having impressed during his previous stint at the club.

Despite those additions, recruitment work has continued behind the scenes, with a left-back believed to be high on the club’s list of priorities. The aim was to improve squad depth and competition in wide defensive areas, but recent reports suggest that this particular pursuit may not end in Bristol City’s favour.

According to respected EFL transfer reporter Pete O’Rourke, Middlesbrough have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Aston Villa prospect Finley Munroe. Both Middlesbrough and Bristol City are said to have submitted offers for the defender, who has caught the eye during an impressive loan spell with Swindon Town in the first half of the campaign.

Further backing those claims, BBC Sport has reported that Middlesbrough have made a bid in the region of £300,000 for Munroe. While that figure is slightly lower than the £350,000 offer Bristol City were believed to have put forward, Boro’s proposal is thought to include a substantial sell-on clause that could prove attractive to Aston Villa in the long term.

If completed, the deal would represent Middlesbrough’s second signing of the window, following the arrival of midfielder Leo Castledine from Chelsea last week. For Munroe, a move to the Riverside Stadium would offer a clear pathway into a Championship promotion-chasing side, with the chance to compete for regular first-team football.

At Middlesbrough, Munroe would be expected to challenge Matt Targett for a starting place at left-back. There is also the possibility that opportunities could open up more quickly than expected, particularly if Newcastle United opt to recall Targett due to their ongoing injury problems.

Munroe’s rising reputation explains why he has attracted such strong interest. The young defender, who is a cousin of Arsenal and England star Declan Rice, began his youth career at Chelsea after being identified by Ashley Cole as a player worthy of a specialist scholarship. He later moved to Aston Villa in 2021 at the age of 16 and signed his first professional contract the following year.

His development has included valuable senior experience. Munroe made his first-team debut for Villa as a late substitute in a UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final defeat to Olympiacos and also featured in the Premier League against Crystal Palace during the same season.

Loan spells have further enhanced his profile. He enjoyed a productive period with Real Unión in Spain’s third tier, making 27 appearances, before returning to England to join Swindon Town. At the County Ground, Munroe became a key figure, playing 17 matches in the first half of the season, scoring twice and providing an impressive nine assists for a side pushing towards the top of the League Two table.

Swindon manager Ian Holloway has been effusive in his praise of the defender, expressing surprise that Aston Villa have not moved to secure his long-term future. Holloway suggested Munroe has the potential to be among the best full-backs he has worked with, comparing his ability to that of Seamus Coleman during his early years.

With a recall clause deadline looming, Holloway acknowledged the likelihood of Munroe being snapped up, though he admitted uncertainty over whether a new club might loan him back to Swindon.

For Bristol City, missing out on Munroe would be disappointing, particularly given their financial flexibility and ambition. However, with the window still open, attention may now turn to alternative targets as the Robins continue their push for promotion and look to add the right balance of youth and experience to their squad.