With Nigel Pearson's future now secure, Bristol City can move ahead with their preparations for a squad rebuild. 

The experienced coach has outlined that he is aiming to take the Robins to the Premier League but is under no illusions that it might not be a quick journey.

He's clearly got the backing of the board, with chairman Jon Lansdown suggesting he's the right man to finally end the Robins' long absence from the top flight of English football.

Little that we've seen on the pitch over the past few months would suggest this squad is ready to do that, which indicates that it could be a very busy summer transfer window at Ashton Gate.

It appears there could be a fair bit of squad turnover in the upcoming window, with new signings arriving and current players leaving.

With that in mind, we've highlighted 9 transfer developments we could see emerge at Bristol City this summer...

It's been a disappointing season overall for the Robins but Antoine Semenyo's emergence as a key attacking player has certainly been a positive.

The 21-year-old forward has scored five times and added a squad-high seven assists for City this term but it's not just those at Ashton Gate that have been impressed.

A raft of Premier League clubs have been linked with Semenyo ahead of the summer window, with Crystal Palace, Newcastle, United Brighton, Southampton, West Ham United, Sheffield United, Norwich and Watford among those linked.

It may be hard to keep hold of the academy product this summer and as we've seen in recent windows if a big offer comes in then the Robins are open to cashing in on their most valuable assets.

Losing Semenyo for a big fee would be one thing but you feel City supporters would not be able to stomach Liam Walsh leaving as a free agent.

The 23-year-old has been hampered by injury this term, meaning he's not had the impact many had hoped he would after returning from his brilliant loan spell at Coventry City last season.

Walsh's current deal is set to expire in the summer and he's yet to agree new terms, though in April the Bristol Post reported that the South West club remain confident of keeping him.

That's not set in stone though and if they're not careful, the Robins could see one of their most exciting young midfielders leave on a free transfer.

Jamie Paterson is one of more than 10 senior players at City whose current contract is set to expire this summer and it seems he'll not be short of suitors if he does leave.

The attacking midfielder has been at Ashton Gate since 2016, notching up more than 150 appearances, 26 goals, and 21 assists in that time.

Now 29, it seems Paterson's stock remains high among City's Championship rivals with Football Insider reporting that Nottingham Forest, BirminghamCity, Stoke City, and Millwall are all keen.

He's been unable to prove himself to Pearson due to injury, so it's going to be interesting to see whether the Robins boss wants to keep him around.

If he doesn't then it seems as though the playmaker won't be leaving the Championship.

A new striker will surely be high on City's list of priorities heading into the summer transfer window.

One of the names linked with the South West club is Blackpool marksman Jerry Yates, who has fired in 20 goals this season in League One.

Winning the race for him may not be easy, however, with Football Insider reporting that Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest are also interested in the forward.

It is understood it could cost in the region of £2 million to prize him away from the Tangerines – hardly a huge fee for a 24-year-old striker that's high on confidence.

Another of the out-of-contract senior players, Famara Diedhiou looks as if he may be set to leave Ashton Gate this season.

The 2019/20 Player of the Season and top goalscorer has been particularly disappointing over the last few months, which may well be his last as a City player.

It seems he may not be going far, however, as it is understood he's in advanced talks with Middlesbrough over signing for the Teessiders.

There's interest from elsewhere in the Championship but Boro seem to be the frontrunners at the moment, though it is believed a decision won't be reached before the end of the season.

City could turn to a former Boro man as their Diedhiou replacement as sources informed Football League World in April that the South West club had been long-term admirers of Britt Assombalonga and could move for him in the summer.

Assombalonga's EFL goalscoring record is impressive and though he's struggled in recent years, a fresh start at Ashton Gate could be just what he needs.

The issue the Robins may face is that Rangers are circling as well, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Scottish side are close to agreeing terms with the 28-year-old.

It's not done yet though, meaning City still have time to strike.

Among the players with a contract expiring in the summer is Adrian Mariappa, who signed as a free agent late last year.

With Alfie Mawson returning to Fulham at the end of his loan deal and Nathan Baker out of contract, City could be two centre-backs down in the summer.

Mariappa hasn't pulled up trees since arriving at Ashton Gate but the experienced defender has been pretty reliable, with his versatility also proving a positive.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if the Robins were to look to keep hold of him, particularly with Zak Vyner and Taylor Moore still quite young.

Dan Bentley is a very strong contender to win City's Player of the Season award after a superb year.

The 27-year-old has regularly earned the Robins points they didn't really deserve and kept them in games they should've been out of, while there's an argument to be made that without him they could be facing relegation.

Bentley's performances haven't gone under the radar with the Bristol Post reporting that Southampton have been watching him as they review their goalkeeping options ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Though Max O'Leary is a fantastic backup, losing their number one is something that City fans would rather not see this summer.

The performances of Han-Noah Massengo and Tyreeq Bakinson have, for the most part, been among the few bright spots in a poor City season.

Bakinson has been a regular in the first team since he forced his way in under Dean Holden, while Massengo has been hugely impressive over the past few months.

According to the Bristol Post, both players have caught the attention of the likes of Southampton, Wolves, Bournemouth and Norwich City.

Both players remain under contract beyond the summer but should significant offers come in for them, then it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them leave.