Football I wasn't afforded any option to stay at City - Wells

NAHKI Wells has lifted the lid on his Bristol City exit, having left Ashton Gate upon the expiry of his contract earlier this summer, confirming he was never given the chance to extend his stay in the West Country.

- Dan CARTER

The Bermudian international, who joined the Robins’ ranks from Burnley in January 2020, spent five-and-a-half years in BS3. In his time as a City player, Wells featured under Lee Johnson, Dean Holden, Nigel Pearson and Liam Manning while scoring 48 goals in 237 appearances in all competitions.

As the Robins ended their 17-year wait for a playoff finish last season, the 35-year-old found the net 10 times and laid on four assists for his teammates to help Manning’s side come within two wins of the Premier League.

Throughout the campaign, Manning was open about his desire to extend Wells’ stay in south Bristol, and the forward also emphasised he wanted to remain a City player. When the Robins published their retained list, they confirmed they were in talks over a new contract. However, after Manning moved to Norwich City and Gerhard Struber was named as the club’s new head coach, the club announced the Bermudian international would be departing Ashton Gate.

In an interview with the One Stream in Bristol podcast, Wells said on his departure: “I left that season assuming I would be a Bristol City player for at least another season, one in which I obviously felt that Liam (Manning) would have stayed around.