Jason Knight game-time key amid Bristol City links - Keith Treacy

This time last year, Derby County's relegation to League One had prompted expectations that Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason Knight would make an exit to a club in the Championship or above.

Ultimately, the Dubliner stayed with the Rams in the English third tier last season and was even deployed out of position at right-back earlier in the campaign.

But the 22-year-old is being tipped more intensely with a move away, with reports that a £2m (€2.3m) transfer to Championship Bristol City is imminent.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former Ireland midfielder Keith Treacy said the most important thing for Knight would be the game-time that would come his way.

"At Jason's age, he needs to be playing football whether that's in League One, Championship or the Premier League, he just needs to play games," he said.

"If you're playing, you have half a chance of getting into the Irish team, it really doesn't matter what level it is at the minute.

"We're not the team we were 10-15 years ago where you had to be in the Championship or the Premier League to be playing.

"So the big thing for any Irish player looking to get into the team - the likes of Troy Parrott and anybody who is on the fringes - is to play games."

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Treacy pointed to the example of Nathan Collins, whose transfer to Wolves last summer did not work out before making another big money switch to fellow Premier League side Brentford last week.

"It didn't turn out to be a great move," Treacy said of how things panned out for the