Saturday's 6-2 defeat at the hands of Fulham was not pretty but there remains a fair bit of positivity surrounding Bristol City ahead of the Severnside derby this weekend.

The Robins host Cardiff City at Ashton Gate on Saturday and will be hoping to heap more misery on their fierce rivals, who are currently just four points above the relegation zone.

City fans will have been hoping to see some reinforcements arrive this month but so far January has been a quiet window – seemingly a product of the significant losses they announced back in December.

But there is still a little under a fortnight left of the winter window, so we've highlighted the current Robins transfer talking points...

The pursuit of Dion Sanderson 

As per the Daily Mail, Bristol City are one of three Championship clubs keen on taking Wolves centre-back Dion Sanderson on loan for the second half of the season.

Birmingham City, where Sanderson impressed in the first half of 2021/22, and QPR are also thought to be keen, with the defender expected to be allowed to leave this month.

With Pearson recently suggesting that Nathan Baker may not return this season and only one team conceding more Championship goals than City this term, it's a move that would appear to make a lot of sense.

A trial for Southampton winger

The Robins have had success swooping for young talents from other clubs in recent years and it appears they're running the rule over Southampton's Ramello Mitchell.

According to the Bristol Post, the 19-year-old winger is on trial at City and featured in the U23s game against Swansea City on Monday.

Mitchell remains under contract at Southampton until the end of the season but it would seem that he's likely to be released by the Premier League club at that point and the South West club may be maneuvering themselves into a position to snap him up.

Nigel Pearson hints at potential exits

Pearson addressed the club's quiet January transfer window when speaking on BBC Radio Bristol's Sound of the City yesterday and hinted at potential player exits.

He highlighted the impact of the club losses on their ability to spend in the window and suggested that departures would be needed for signings to be made.

"We are where we are," said Pearson. "We have to have a realistic understanding of how we manage our way through the situation.

"I'm not saying we're not going to do any business categorically but what I'm saying is we have players who we may allow to leave if it allows us then to do business that we want to do bringing in.

"So it really the case that it has to be that way around."