With the season done and dusted it's a time for reflection on the campaign and an opportunity to look ahead with early ambitions to mount a challenge towards the top six.
The foundations are set in stone and there's every right to feel optimistic if Nigel Pearson and his staff can address the issues that have prevented their progress. It's no secret the positions in the side that require strengthening, the manager has been open when addressing the team's shortcomings and there's no doubt the hard work is well underway to make the side more competitive going forward.
They'll be setbacks and a few twists and turns over the summer. There's the possibility that the club receive a number of offers for numerous players they will want to keep hold of, especially with the abundance of talent through the ranks.
How it transforms will be intriguing and perhaps frustrating but come the first weekend of August when the first round of Championship fixtures get underway, City are bound to be in a better place with greater squad depth to hit the ground running. Here we raise the talking points that could arise over the off-season.
Moving swiftly
When asked whether he was hopeful of bringing in new signings over the next two weeks, Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol that he was. Work has been going on behind the scenes for months to get deals over the line as soon as the final whistle of the season was blown.
At the end of last season, City announced their first key arrival of the summer in Mark Sykes on May 16 before Kal Naismith joined 11 days later. Judging by the noise coming out of the club, there's confidence that City will follow suit once again with deals for Aberdeen's Ross McCrorie and Joe Bryan in the pipeline.
Central defender Jake O'Brien and AFC Wimbledon's Jack Currie could also arrive swiftly depending on the levels of competition but Pearson wants any new signings to be given the time to adjust to their new surroundings, participate in a full pre-season and give themselves the best opportunity to succeed.
Of course, there may be deals and rumours that stretch throughout the transfer window as clubs and players hold out for the best deals possible but Pearson's stance has always remained the same - if they're not interested in Bristol City then he won't take them.
A contract decision
The recent links of a possible transfer to Premier League side Brentford this summer did raise the debate about where Zak Vyner's long-term future lies after his brilliant season. Whether a move to the top flight materialises remains to be seen but City could be cornered into a decision over the next handful of months.
The club recently activated the one-year option in his contract tying him down until the summer of 2024 with further talks ongoing over extending that deal. His importance on the side this season was reflected in making 45 Championship appearances, finding those levels of consistency that proved elusive 12 months ago.
If Vyner can't agree on a new deal over the next couple of months, then City may have to think about cashing in to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing in 12 months' time. That will therefore only magnify the shortage of options in central defence and the necessity to address the issue over the summer.
Waiting to blossom
It can take players time to bed into new surroundings, new tactics and get to grips with new team-mates and that's been no different for Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick - both players who are waiting to hit the ground running at Bristol City since their January moves.
A late winner for Mehmeti against Stoke City could have been the catalyst for a fine run of form heading into the end of the season but the winger found opportunities difficult to come without starting in the last seven league matches. Everybody who has watched Mehmeti regularly speaks so highly of his quality, including former boss Gareth Ainsworth who has no doubt he is going to reach the Premier League at some point in his career.
There could be every possibility that Mehmeti starts next season as City's No10 if Alex Scott leaves, juggling the position alongside Andi Weimann with Sam Bell expected to earmark his place on the left. Likewise with Cornick, a full pre-season will be hugely beneficial for the pair with fitness expected to be at the forefront of Pearson's philosophy to get his forwards pressing from the front.
The unexpected bids
During one of Nigel Pearson's press conferences towards the end of the season, he spoke about the possibility of the club receiving one or two offers for players that could create an interesting situation. Any offers received for Alex Scott will come as little surprise and they are expected but for a couple of academy players, there may be a situation where the club have to bat away bids if the top-flight clubs come calling.
The two that stand out would be Cam Pring and Tommy Conway - two players who have shown the potential to hit the heights of the Premier League if they continue their rate of development.
Pring has shown this season that he has everything to be performing at a higher level. A combination of pace and power suits the modern game and six assists this season, despite playing a large chunk of the campaign at centre-back, proves how big a threat he is when surging forward.
The fact that he has proven he has the capabilities of playing in the heart of the defence is only another string to his bow. There's also a matter of his contract which expires next summer although the club have the option of an extra year. So there's no rush to extend that but the club will want to sort that out sooner rather than later to prevent them from facing a predicament this time next year.
Conway is another player who would have certainly raised eyebrows from a few scouts this season following his breakthrough season. 12 goals over the campaign, having also missed 15 matches through a hamstring injury, is certainly not to be sniffed at and his potential is sky-high.
Potential investment?
Steve Lansdown's intentions to sell the club or find new investors have been rumbling on for a number of years but it appears as though progress is being made. Ahead of City's final home game of the season against Burnley, Lansdown confirmed there has been interest from overseas and discussions are in place - Bristol Live understands the investment is likely to be from America.
His comments were: "We’re talking to somebody but it’s been going on for a while so I don’t know if that’s going to happen or not. I’m in no rush, it’s got to be the right people who come in, they’ve got to add value, they’ve got to have the right funds to come in and do it."
Lansdown has pumped in around £240million to chase the Premier League dream which is yet to bear fruit but as he mentions, there is no rush to sell. He'll ensure that the club goes into the right hands but it does raise the question about how quickly these developments can unfold should the investor have the funds to make an impact.
If there are major developments over the summer, then that is likely to change the dynamic over how City conduct their business and the funds available.
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