Bristol Live understands Bristol City are monitoring Leart Paqarda’s situation at Gerhard Struber’s former club FC KölnLeart Paqarada played under Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber at FC Köln(Image: Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Bristol City are aware of and monitoring Leart Paqarada’s situation at FC Köln, Bristol Live understands, amid speculation linking the defender with a summer move to Ashton Gate.

Reports from Germany have suggested that reuniting with his former boss, Gerhard Struber, at Ashton Gate is an option for the Kosovo international before Monday’s transfer deadline, as is a move back to the German second division. The left-back played a crucial role in Köln’s promotion to the Bundesliga last term, but is now one of three players training away from the rest of the first team squad under the management of Lukas Kwasniok.

Paqarada was not included in Köln’s squad for their first league game of the season, a 1-0 win over 10-man Mainz on Sunday afternoon, and was also left out of the matchday squad for last weekend’s DFB Pokal clash with Jahn Regensburg.

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While the Robins are understood to be aware of the 30-year-old’s current situation, nothing concrete has yet been agreed with no move imminent at this stage.

Although City’s squad is well stocked in the majority of positions, Struber is slightly short of options at left-back. With Cam Pring injured, having sustained an injury during the Robins’ pre-season training camp in Portugal, Yu Hirakwa has emerged as the preferred option at left wing-back in the opening weeks of the campaign. At the time of writing, the Japanese international has started two of the Reds’ first three league games.

Ross McCrorie also remains on option in that role. The Scotsman is naturally a right-sided defender and has played the majority of his football on that flank throughout his career so far, but finished last season strongly at left wing-back before returning to that position in Friday night’s draw with Derby County.

Elijah Morrison remains highly thought of at Ashton Gate and featured in City’s Carabao Cup win over MK Dons earlier this month. However, the teenager hasn’t played a huge amount of senior football over the course of his short career so far, and Struber has stressed the need for patience when it comes to his and other younger players’ development.

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The other alternative available in that position remains Haydon Roberts. The 23-year-old was regularly deployed as a left wing-back under Liam Manning but is yet to play a competitive minute of football under Struber, having been the subject of transfer interest from Stockport County earlier in the transfer window.

Under the management of the new Robins’ head coach last season, Paqarada – who has been capped 30 times by Kosovo – played 35 games in all competitions and picked up seven assists from left-back.

Though Struber left Köln before their promotion to the Bundesliga was confirmed, the 30-year-old defender started the final two games under the management of Friedhelm Funkel, in which the German club secured top spot.

City have made four additions to their ranks over the course of the summer, the last of which saw Radek Vitek arrive on loan from Manchester United in July. Since then, Struber has made no secret of his desire to make one or two more signings before the transfer window closes on Monday, September 1.

Although the Robins’ CEO, Tom Rawcliffe, confirmed the Reds would look to support their new head coach with the new signings he desires in an interview with BBC Radio Bristol ahead of City’s draw with Charlton, he did also admit departures would need to be considered due to the size of the Reds’ current squad.

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