Bristol City have opened talks with Brighton & Hove Albion defender Haydon Roberts as the former England youth international is available on a free transfer.
As first reported by Football Insider, City are hopeful of concluding a deal for the versatile 21-year-old who spent last season on loan at Derby County in League One.
The Rams were keen to re-sign Roberts, after he impressed over 46 appearances across a number of roles in defence, but the promise of Championship football looks to have put City in the box seat.
Brighton-born Roberts has been with his boyhood club since a schoolboy but despite showing plenty of promise has been unable to make the first-team breakthrough at the Amex Stadium making just six League Cup appearances.
Last week he posted a message on Instagram bidding farewell to the Premier League side as his contract on the south coast expires. Roberts wrote: "Thank you for everything over the last eight years. I'm looking forward to what God has next for me."
The hopeful acquisition of Roberts would follow City’s purchase of centre-back Rob Dickie from QPR, while Aberdeen’s Ross McCrorie is set for a medical at the High Performance Centre later today.
Roberts, who has been capped at Under-17 and U18 level for England, would also provide competition for Cam Pring on the left side of defence and at wing-back following the departure of Jay Dasilva last month to Coventry City.
Should City conclude a deal for the 21-year-old it would also likely end their desire to sign AFC Wimbledon left-back Jack Currie who the Robins made three unsuccessful bids for in January. That being said, it's unclear whether Nigel Pearson views Roberts as a centre-back, where he specialised as a teenager, or to the left of defence, which became his position at Derby.
Bristol Live understands Joe Bryan still remains an active target and an offer has been made to the 29-year-old who is back in England following the conclusion of his loan at Nice with Fulham expected to confirm his release on a free transfer when they publish their retained list over the coming days.
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