Bristol City are interested in Chelsea's Michael Hector and Fikayo Tomori, as well as Preston's Ben Davies, as possible replacements for Adam Webster, Bristol Live have reported.

It was revealed by Sky Sports earlier on Friday that The Robins have agreed a deal to sell Webster to Premier League Brighton for £20million, just a year after signing the centre back from Ipswich Town.

Now it seems that the Ashton Gate club are already lining up potential alternative for the 24-year-old, with Hector and Tomori among those considered.

Both players spent last season on loan from Chelsea in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and Derby respectively, and Lee Johnson's side are said to be interested in the pair themselves.

The Robins do have a strong relationship with Chelsea, having already signed Tomas Kalas, Jay DaSilva and Kasey Palmer on permanent deals from the Blues this summer, after the trio all spent time on loan at Ashton Gate last year.

It could be difficult for Bristol City to secure the signature of either Hector or Tomori however.

According to reports, both Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday are already interested in a move for Hector, while Tomori is thought to be being lined up for a loan move to another Premier League side by Chelsea, with the defender keen to remain in the top tier this season.

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Another option that has emerged is Ben Davies, with Bristol City apparently long term admirers of the Preston defender.

A graduate of Preston's youth system, Davies has made 88 appearances in all competitions for the Championship side, and has two years remaining on his contract at Deepdale.

It looks as though there could be competition for the Robins here as well however, with Premier League Newcastle United having also been linked with a move for the 23-year-old earlier in the summer.

The Verdict

This is an interesting one.

It looks to be a smart move from Bristol City to have so many options open at once, and all three of these defenders have proven themselves to be more than capable at Championship level throughout the course of their careers.

Even so, the interest in them from elsewhere could make a deal for any of this trio difficult for The Robins to complete, particularly with so little time left in the current transfer window.

That will be a big concern for Bristol City heading into the new season, as it could leave them heading into the start of the campaign without a replacement for one of their key players in defence from last year, something which many opposition attacks will surely look to take advantage of.