The swap deal which will see Jay Emmanuel-Thomas move to Bristol City and winger Paul Anderson join the Blues should be completed today, according to reports in the West Country. Town assistant manager Terry Connor said on Saturday that progress was expected over the weekend after discussions between the clubs for the last fortnight.
Emmanuel-Thomas, 22, and Anderson, 24, are expected to hold talks with their prospective new clubs and undergo medicals today.
According to the Bristol Post, the deal thrashed out between the clubs over the weekend will see Town settle the remaining year on Emmanuel-Thomas’s contract.
The Blues are said to have been looking for a player plus cash arrangement — having paid in excess of £1 million for Emmanuel-Thomas when he signed from Arsenal — but have had to settle for just the player swap.
The midfielder played for Robins boss Sean O'Driscoll on loan at Doncaster and was initially targeted as a loan signing back in January. Londoner Emmanuel-Thomas joined the Blues in July 2011 and made 43 starts and 32 sub appearances, scoring nine goals.
Anderson, who wants a move back to the Championship following City's relegation to League One, started his career as a youth player with West Brom, before moving on to Hull City and then Liverpool in November 2005.
He spent time on loan at Swansea and Nottingham Forest — when he was linked with a move to the Blues - while with the Reds, before making the switch to the City Ground permanent in the summer of 2009 for £250,000.
The 5ft 9in tall former England U19 international moved on to Bristol City last summer, signing a two-year deal. He made 19 starts and 11 sub appearances for the Robins during their 2012/13 relegation campaign, scoring three goals.
Meanwhile, Bristol City are not expected to offer former Doncaster Rovers midfielder Martin Woods a contract. Woods worked under Blues boss Mick McCarthy at Sunderland and was reported to have been offered the chance to join Town as well as the Robins during pre-season training.