Newly promoted Premier League side Fulham are interested in making a move for Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan, as per a report from the Mirror.
The Cottagers returned to the top-flight for the first time since their drop to the Championship back in the 2013/14 campaign. Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic, who is intent on beefing up his squad heading into the next season in hopes of putting up a strong fight in the Premier League, has identified Bryan as a key transfer target.
Bryan came through the Bristol City academy and had loan spells away at Bath City and Plymouth before establishing himself as a first-team regular at Ashton Gate. The full-back has thus far made 229 appearances in all competitions for the Robins, scoring 21 goals and registering 29 assists.
In the 2017/18 campaign, the 24-year-old found the back of the net on 7 occasions and set up 3 more in 48 appearances across all competitions. He was one of the best players in the Championship in his position last term.
Bryan was also extremely impressive in the Robins’ League Cup run as they managed to reach the semi-finals of the competition, with the full-back scoring in a famous 2-1 win over Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
Strong and dependable at the back, Bryan has proven to be an astute defender and backs it up with great attacking intent and capabilities. Good at reading situations, his positioning allows him to make crucial interventions, and he is a strong tackler as well. Moreover, he is extremely pacey, which allows him to recover when caught out of position or hare down the flank and join the attack when needed.
In Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham have one of the finest young left-backs in the country. However, the teenage sensation has often been used in an advanced role on the left flank, where he has thrived unbelievably. In his breakthrough season in the 2016/17 campaign, the Englishman featured 11 times on the wing and came up with returns of 3 goals and a solitary assist, while he managed 4 goals and as many assists as a left-back in 20 appearances.
However, there was a marked improvement on his returns in an advanced role this past season as he tore apart defences with his pace and skills. When Fulham brought in Matt Targett on loan from Southampton in January, it allowed Jokanovic to unleash Sessegnon in an attacking role on a regular basis, which got the best out of the player and reaped great rewards for his team as well.
In his 52 appearances across all competitions in 2017/18 season, Sessegnon was used in an advanced position on the left flank on 32 occasions during which he smashed in 14 goals and provided 6 assists compared to his two goals and two assists from his 20 appearances as a left-back.
And it is something Jokanovic would want to recreate if the Cottagers are able to bring in Bryan in the summer. Defensively solid, the 24-year old left-back will also provide more width going forward down the flank, while allowing Sessegnon to develop and flourish in the advanced role he made his own last season.
