Bristol City have reportedly joined the race to sign Lincoln City panto villain Sammie Szmodics, potentially disrupting Derby County’s attempts to bring the experienced forward back to Pride Park.
Derby are understood to be in advanced discussions with Ipswich after Szmodics spent the second half of last season on loan with John Eustace’s side. However, Alex Jones reports that Bristol City have now emerged as rival contenders for the 30-year-old, who looks increasingly likely to leave Portman Road this summer.
Both a loan and permanent transfer have been discussed, although Ipswich are believed to favour selling Szmodics rather than approving another temporary departure. That could turn the situation into a test of how strongly Derby and Bristol City are prepared to pursue him, particularly if the Premier League newcomers demand a significant fee.
Szmodics made 13 Championship appearances for Derby after arriving during the January transfer window, scoring three goals and registering one assist. Although those numbers did not match the remarkable form he previously produced for Blackburn Rovers, his relationship with Eustace and knowledge of the manager’s system made a return appear logical.
The forward enjoyed the best season of his career under Eustace at Blackburn, scoring 27 Championship goals during the 2023/24 campaign and winning the division’s Golden Boot. That form earned him a move to Ipswich in August 2024, but injuries and limited opportunities prevented him from establishing himself as a regular at Portman Road.
His future became particularly uncertain in January, when Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna suggested the decision to allow him to join Derby was based on the interests of the squad’s culture and group dynamic rather than his performances on the pitch.
Szmodics subsequently helped Derby challenge for the Championship play-offs, with the Rams now looking to add him to a forward line that has already been strengthened by the arrivals of Bobby Clark and Filip Bilbija.
Bristol City’s involvement offers a different storyline because Szmodics has previously represented the Robins. He joined them from Colchester United in 2019, but made only four appearances before moving to Peterborough United, initially on loan and then permanently. It was at Posh he became a Lincoln City pantomime villain, when his blatant dive in the last minute earned them a 3-3 draw, after the Imps had been 3-0 up.
The subsequent penalty ensured Posh went up automatically, and killed off our fading chances of a spot in the Championship. He’ll be roundly booed, whether in red or white next season.
While his first spell at Ashton Gate did not provide Szmodics with the platform he might have expected, he has since developed into one of the Championship’s most recognisable attacking players. His ability to operate behind a striker, across the forward line or as a secondary goalscorer would provide Bristol City with another experienced option.
Derby may still possess an advantage because of Szmodics’ previous work with Eustace and his recent loan spell at Pride Park. Reports of advanced talks also suggest negotiations have progressed beyond the early stages.
However, Bristol City’s arrival in the race could complicate matters and potentially improve Ipswich’s negotiating position. A permanent sale would allow the Tractor Boys to move on a player who appears to have little prospect of returning to their first-team plans, while also avoiding the uncertainty of another loan.
Derby appeared to be at the front of the queue, but Bristol City are now attempting to hijack the move and bring Szmodics back to Ashton Gate seven years after his first spell with the club.
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