Bristol City pull off transfer coup involving Luton Town man

Bristol City have completed their first summer signing and it’s a bit of a coup as Luton Town‘s Kal Naismith has arrived at Ashton Gate, the Robins have confirmed.

Nigel Pearson has won the race to sign the 30-year-old on a three-year deal and has beat off the likes of West Brom, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, who Football League World had exclusively reported were tracking the versatile defender.

Naismith joined Luton in January 2021 after departing then-crisis club Wigan Athletic, where he spent two-and-a-half years of his career.

The Scot played 22 times in his first half-season with the Hatters, alternating between playing as a centre-back and a left-back, and in the 2021-22 campaign, Naismith played 44 times in the league, including in the play-offs against Huddersfield Town, scoring twice and bagging eight assists over the course of the season.

Naimsith has transitioned from a winger earlier in his career to a left-sided centre-back under Nathan Jones, but he will now take his talents to Ashton Gate.

The Verdict

This is a deal that certainly came out of the blue.

Due to his form for Luton this past season, Naismith was always going to attract interest, but many assumed that he’d head to one of the automatic promotion contenders.

Bristol City cannot be considered as that on paper, with a lack of transfer funds available and finishing in the bottom third of the table in 2021-22, but Naismith immediately makes their defence stronger, as well as giving them a threat from set pieces with his delivery.

It is a bargain acquisition for the Robins and one they should be very happy with.

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