Bristol City are closing in on the signing of Aberdeen’s Ross McCrorie, Bristol Live understands, with the defensive midfielder set to become Nigel Pearson’s first addition of the summer transfer window.
Talks have taken place over the weekend in Scotland and the Robins have jumped ahead of a number of other Championship clubs, including some in the play-off race, to emerge as firm favourites to sign the 25-year-old.
BBC Scotland report discussions involve a fee of "around £2million", however sources have indicated that is at the upper end of the scale and negotiations are ongoing but there is confidence from both parties that a deal can be concluded.
McCrorie, who’s under contract until 2026, played 90 minutes in Aberdeen’s 2-0 victory over Rangers on Sunday and when asked after the game about the likelihood of the transfer, Dons interim manager Barry Robson said : "You’ll know more than me. All I know is we had a good result today and Ross performed well."
McCrorie, who came through the Rangers academy before joining Aberdeen on a permanent deal in 2021, has been capped at all age groups by Scotland from Under-25 to Under-21 level but is yet to represent the senior squad.
He’s made 34 appearances this season in all competitions for the club, operating in central midfield, centre-back, right-back and as a right-sided midfielder. That versatility has no doubt attracted Nigel Pearson who has previously commented on his desire for tactically flexible players.
Pearson has been open in what he requires this summer, barring any surprise sales, with City light in numbers in central defence, as Zak Vyner has been their only fit senior centre-back for the last seven weeks.
That situation will only be exacerbated if the Robins either choose against or can’t agree a new contract with Tomas Kalas, which leaves Vyner and Rob Atkinson - out since March with a ruptured ACL as Pearson’s only natural, specialised centre-backs, not including those in the Under-21 set-up.
As reported by Bristol Live last week, City remain keen to sign Crystal Palace defender Jake O’Brien on a permanent deal having failed with a loan approach in January for the 21-year-old.
His numbers in midfield are a little more substantial but veterans Matty James and Andy King are his only true defensive-minded players in that area of the pitch and the squad has lacked a physical and aggressive destroyer-like figure.
Throughout his time at Ashton Gate, Pearson has maintained he’s wanted to conduct as much business as possible early in the window but has been hamstrung by City’s financial position over the last two summers.
Antoine Semenyo’s sale to Bournemouth in January, coupled with a declining wage bill and the prospect of leading earners Kalas and Jay Dasilva leaving the club has provided greater flexibility, plus there is the increasing likelihood of Alex Scott being sold to a Premier League club for a substantial fee.
McCrorie has spent most of his professional career in Scotland with Rangers, Aberdeen and loan spells at Dumbarton and Ayr United but does have some experience south of the border following a temporary stint with Portsmouth during the 2019/20 League One season.
McCrorie made 23 appearances under Kenny Jackett as Pompey were eliminated in the play-off semi-finals during the Covid-disrupted campaign. He experienced an inconsistent time on the South Coast, but peppered with enough impressive moments that Jackett - who often used him as a right-back - was keen to re-sign the Scot.
Rangers turned down a bid of £200,000 from Hibernian in the summer of 2020 before loaning him to Aberdeen ahead of a £350,000 permanent move which was completed the following February.
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