Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber hopes the Robins can “jump out” with transfer news ahead of their FA Cup clash with WatfordBristol City head coach Gerhard Struber ahead of the Robins’ defeat to Preston North End(Image: Photo by Ian Cook – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Bristol City are now “really, really close” to securing a third arrival of the winter transfer window, Gerhard Struber has claimed, with the Robins boss hopeful his side can provide supporters with the news in “the next few days,” potentially as early as Thursday.

With the first week of the January window already in the rearview mirror, City have wasted no time bolstering their ranks. Having made five additions in the summer, the Reds have already confirmed the signing of ex-Liverpool prospect Ranel Young and former Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy.

Young, who is just 19, will primarily be based with the Under-21s, while Morsy made his debut against Preston North End last weekend. Though the early business has seen Struber’s youth and midfield options improve, the Austrian has made no secret of his desire to add another attacking player to his roster.

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On New Year’s Eve, the head coach suggested City were “close” to such an addition, a feeling he reinforced after his side’s New Year’s Day win over Portsmouth and their defeat to Preston.

Although little more has been revealed about the mystery target, Struber insists progress has been made, with an announcement – in his eyes at least – possible before Saturday’s FA Cup clash with Watford.

“A really good situation, I would say,” the head coach said when asked about the situation in terms of potential arrivals. “I am happy. Maybe we can jump out with news tomorrow; I hope that.

“But right now, I would say I’m happy.

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“I think we were really busy the last few weeks,” Struber added when asked if that meant progress had been made. “It’s not always easy to bring players in, especially in the winter transfer window, but right now we are really, really close.

“I would say maybe tomorrow, or in this week, we are one step further in our transfer process. We want to bring the news out [in] the next few days, and then you’ll realise exactly how it get.”

On the topic of whether or not such an addition would be available to face Watford, the City boss concluded, “This could be.”

Currently, City’s available forward options are made up of Emil Riis, Sinclair Armstrong, Sam Bell and Harry Cornick, as well as young prospects Olly Thomas and Ephraim Yeboah.

While Fally Mayulu is, at this moment in time, sidelined by a quad injury, Cornick is once again available for selection, having served his three-game suspension for his role in the melee with Millwall last month. The final game of the forward’s ban was the Reds’ New Year’s Day win over Portsmouth at Ashton Gate.

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Although that meant the 30-year-old could have been included in the matchday squad to face Preston last weekend, he was not named in either the starting line-up or on the bench, a decision which has sparked fresh conversation around Cornick’s future in the West Country, particularly with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

“I think it’s not so easy for him at the moment,” Struber told Bristol Live on the forward’s absence from the squad against the Lilywhites. “Of course, we have – in this direction – really good players, and we will see how it works also the next few times for him here.

“Of course, for him, it would be perfect when he gets more game time, but the roster is really strong at the minute, and for him, it’s not so easy.”

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