Birmingham City failed in a late attempt to sign Bristol City defender Jay Dasilva with the Robins rejecting the Blues' permanent offer.
Birmingham Live report that Blues made the approach with Lee Bowyer determined to sign a left-sided defender and sell Kristian Pedersen, with the Dane in the final few months of his contract and with interest abroad.
However, City’s refusal to allow the former Chelsea academy player to leave meant Birmingham had to hold onto Pederson, with the 27-year-old - who had been considered as a transfer option by the Robins in 2021 - now set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
As the window opened at the start of January, Dasilva appeared one of the likely candidates to leave Ashton Gate having fallen out of favour under Nigel Pearson following two disastrous performances at Birmingham City and Coventry City.
Bristol Live understands that City initially received several loan offers for the 23-year-old but they were deemed unsatisfactory due to the wage contribution and the fact, true to Pearson’s message, they didn’t want to lose a squad asset for nothing allowing a rival to strengthen.
Similar to Nahki Wells and Kasey Palmer, Dasilva is among the higher earners at City but isn’t delivering the required minutes for the Robins to be receiving any value.
However, unlike that duo - who were subject of unsuccessful loan bids on deadline day from Cardiff City - Dasilva has worked his way back into the starting XI, in-part due to circumstance but also a reflection of his own professionalism.
With no orthodox right full-back due to George Tanner’s injury, Zak Vyner considered a centre-back and Danny Simpson seemingly not part of the first-team picture, Pearson turned to Dasilva to operate on his opposite flank.
After trialling the position against Fulham in the FA Cup, Dasilva has then started as a right wing-back against the Cottagers in the league followed by fixtures against Cardiff, Luton Town and Preston North End, and largely impressed.
That has then freed Scott to play in a more central role as injuries have allowed him to form an exciting partnership with Han-Noah Massengo at the base of midfield.
Although City were keen to shed some of their wage bill on deadline day, ultimately Dasilva’s performances over the last fortnight have thrust him back into the first-team set-up for his manager and with Tanner out until the end of February, at the earliest, he remains required on the right-hand side.
Cam Pring’s reinvention as a left-sided centre-back and Callum O’Dowda’s slight inconsistencies could also mean a return to his more favoured position on the left once Tanner returns.
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