Bristol City have joined Fulham and Belgian top-tier Anderlecht in wanting Torino centre-back Koffi Djidji ahead of the January transfer window, according to Sport Mediaset (via Sport Witness).

The 29-year-old has been a regular figure for the Italian side in Serie A this season, making 13 league appearances with his side making a reasonably respectable start to the campaign.

And Djidji's performances haven't gone unnoticed, with Nigel Pearson's Robins believed to be weighing up a potentially ambitious swoop in the European market again after recruiting shot-stopper Stefan Bajic.

 

 

A permanent deal is probably more likely than a loan spell at this point considering the player's contract runs out at the end of the season, with Pearson failing to make full use of the loan market during his time at Ashton Gate anyway.

However, they aren't the only side reported to be in the race with Marco Silva's Cottagers also keeping tabs on him, with the offer of Premier League football potentially putting them in a strong position to recruit the defender.

Another eye-catching side in this race are Anderlecht who can offer the 29-year-old European football, though they don't have former Manchester City centre-back Vincent Kompany in charge anymore following his departure to Burnley.

The Verdict:

It does feel as though the Robins' defence is an area that needs to be strengthened the most because they leaked quite a few goals last season and their defensive record may come back to haunt them again this season.

This is a real shame because they have great ingredients going forward, with Antoine Semenyo, Nahki Wells, Alex Scott, Andreas Weimann and Tommy Conway all able to be genuine threats in the final third.

They also have a decent amount of competition in the goalkeeping department and will be pleased with some of their midfield options - but they may benefit from another centre-back to provide them with a bit more solidity.

Kal Naismith looked set to tighten up their defence following his arrival - but he has endured some underwhelming displays at Ashton Gate so far and will be desperate to make a real difference during his stay.

The acquisition of someone like Djidji will only help their cause, so it will be interesting to see if they can finalise an agreement. It doesn't seem as if they will have too much to spend in the winter though.