Bristol City confirmed they were in ‘contract discussions’ with Raphael Araoye at the end of last seasonRaphael Araoye in action against ExeterRaphael Araoye in action for Bristol City in a pre-season fixture(Image: Fever Pitch)

Bristol City academy graduate Raphael Araoye has been spotted on trial with a League Two club ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.

The Robins released eight players at the end of last term, while George Earthy returned to West Ham United following the conclusion of his loan spell. Additionally, Nahki Wells has since left the club in the weeks following the publication of City’s retained list.

Amongst those released were experienced defender Kal Naismith, now-Plymouth Argyle midfielder Ayman Benarous and second-choice goalkeeper Stefan Bajic. On top of those three senior players, young prospects Kai Churchley, Tim Ap Sion, Marley Rose, Romani Rowe and Callum Wood also departed BS3.

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When the retained list was shared, the Reds also confirmed that contract discussions were ongoing with five players. So far, only Wells’ departure has been confirmed, with both Lewis Thomas and Joe Duncan penning new deals, while City are yet to provide an update on talks with both Olly Thomas and Araoye.

Araoye joined City’s youth system as an Under-11 and put pen to paper on his first professional contract in 2022.

Although the 20-year-old never made his competitive first-team debut for the Reds, he was named on the bench for the opening three games of the 2023/24 Championship campaign and enjoyed loan spells with both Yeovil Town and Weston-super-Mare whilst playing regularly for City’s Under-21s.

With pre-season now underway, clubs up and down the country are beginning their preparations for the new campaign with friendly fixtures. Particularly in the lower leagues, such matches offer a chance for trialists to be put through their paces and in the modern world of social media, it doesn’t tend to take supporters long to work out the identity of those typically unknown players.

One of those players identified is Araoye. Suggestions emerged on social media that the defender lined up as a left-sided centre-back for Crawley Town in the second half of their friendly win over Three Bridges on Tuesday night.

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Sussex World have since named the young defender as one of six trialists involved in the League Two side’s 5-0 win, with a picture of him in action also included in the article. Although it will have been Crawley boss Scott Lindsey’s first real look at Araoye and the other trialists in a competitive environment, he was impressed by what he saw.

“Attitude. We want will and determination to run for a start,” Lindsey said when asked what he was looking for from the new players. “Technical ability to be able to play in a possession-based team is obviously a big factor, and I thought all the trialists did really well tonight.

“They all looked comfortable with the ball, they all looked like they wanted to run, they all looked like they wanted to press, defend, do the basics really well.

“I thought they did well.”

Crawley are currently preparing for a return to League Two this season, having been relegated out of League One last term. While three wins from their last three games kept Lindsey’s side in the race for survival, they ultimately finished one point adrift of Burton Albion and safety.

Should Araoye earn a move to West Sussex, he will link up with another ex-City player, Jojo Wollacott, who is under contract until the end of next season.

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