Bristol City are in talks with Accrington Stanley over a move for Northern Ireland international Dion Charles, as reported on Sky Sports Transfer Centre (1:06pm).

Nigel Pearson sees similarities in the 25-year-old's rise from non-league in recent years, to when he brought Jamie Vardy from Fleetwood Town to Leicester City in 2012.

The 25-year-old scored 19 goals in League One last term and has improved year on year since John Coleman spotted him playing for Southport in the summer of 2019.

Charles' transfer value is very affordable due to being in the last year of his contract with Stanley, therefore the club are thought to value him at around £700,000, the Robins were big spenders prior to the pandemic, so a fee in that region should not be any kind of stumbling block to this deal.

Bristol City ended the 2020/21 season with seven losses and three draws in their last ten, leading to a fair few concerns coming into this campaign, the signing of Charles would certainly put some supporters' minds at rest that the club are looking to add more firepower up top particularly after the departure of Famara Diedhiou this summer.

The Verdict

Dion Charles would be an excellent addition for the Robins, Bristol City have dipped into the Football League market very successfully in recent years and adding the 25-year-old, at a cut price due to his contract situation, would be sensible business in the closing exchanges of the window.

If Charles can complete the step up a division, maybe a year or so earlier than many would have predicted in his development, it will stand him in good stead in adjusting to the intensity of the league with a team where the stakes are so high like Bristol City.

It's fair to say that being likened to Jamie Vardy is incredibly high praise.