Bristol City would prefer to buy Jay Emmanuel-Thomas from Town and hang on to winger Paul Anderson rather than doing a swap deal, it's being reported. The Blues and Robins have been in discussions regarding the proposed swap but with Bristol City boss Sean O’Driscoll having said that the deal is “a long way from bearing fruit” earlier today.
According to BBC Bristol sources, it was Town that instigated the move, offering City Emmanuel-Thomas, who along with Michael Chopra was made available for transfer at the end of 2012/13, despite having a year remaining on his contract.
The Robins would ideally like to pay a fee for the 22-year-old midfielder, who played for O'Driscoll during a loan spell at Doncaster while with Arsenal, and hold on to Anderson, 24, as they look to bounce back from relegation to League One at the first attempt.
While Emmanuel-Thomas, who was charged with misconduct by the FA this afternoon, did not travel with the Town squad to Ireland this morning, with the deal still a long way from completion it’s now reported that he was not at Ashton Gate for talks today, as had been claimed would be the case over the weekend.
Elsewhere, former Blue Titus Bramble, 31, is training with West Ham following his release by Sunderland at the end of the season.