Nahki Wells has been rewarded for his fine start to the season by signing a new contract having re-established himself as Bristol City’s lead striker, in a year where he nearly left the club.
Wells’ previous deal was due to expire next summer but the 32-year-old will now be under agreement until 2025 after the most prolific spell of his near-three year stay at Ashton Gate with eight goals in 22 games this term.
Wells had been one of 11 current first-team players out of contract next summer and Bristol Live understands he has accepted a pay cut to remain in BS3.
The Bermudian has had to fight his way back into the first-team reckoning following a 2021/22 campaign in which he found himself third and sometimes even fourth-choice striker, even requiring a spell in the Under-21s to prove his commitment.
By his own admission, Wells nearly left the club in January and then in the summer window just passed with loan interest across the Championship, most notably at Cardiff City, Swansea City and Preston North End.
However, a combination of the financial situation, his value to the club and, of course, his goalscoring ability has meant he’s remained a Robin and has been one of the major individual success stories under Nigel Pearson in 2022/23.
“Nahki is a fantastic professional and he has shown the level at which he can operate on numerous occasions so far this season," Pearson said. “He’s a real threat and great attacking weapon to have at our disposal for the next couple of years.
"He’s demonstrated maturity and a brilliant work ethic during my time at the club and he’s a real example to the young players we have coming through.
“Nahki has had to be patient, but he’s taken his opportunity with both hands when it’s come, and I’m sure he can continue to contribute to our future successes on the pitch.”
Wells first signed for City in January 2020 for a fee in the region of £4million from Burnley, supposedly ending an exhaustive search by former chief executive Mark Ashton and ex-head coach Lee Johnson for a “proven” striker at this level.
He enjoyed an encouraging first six months in the Covid-impacted season but then Johnson’s departure and the promotion of Dean Holden saw him increasingly forced out to the left wing. Although he finished a challenging 2020/21 season as City’s top scorer with 11 goals, he had indicated the club weren’t making the most of his talents.
The following season was even more challenging for the experienced frontman as he was reduced to just seven starts in the Championship and due to his status as one of the higher-earning players in the squad, looked destined to leave.
But through his hard work, perseverance and level performances, Pearson has gradually brought him back into the fold and he has struck up a dynamic relationship and chemistry with Tommy Conway, born out of their time together in the U21 set-up, with the pair responsible for 14 of City’s 31 goals this season.
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