Why Nahki Wells was ‘stabbed in the heart’ by Bristol City during exit, a ‘certain individual…’

Add as preferred source on Google

Bristol City supporters were gutted after Nahki Wells ended his five-year-plus stay at the Robins, and now he has lifted the lid on his emotional departure.

After concluding the Championship campaign with a resounding defeat to Sheffield United in the play-off semi-final, Bristol City are in a period of transition this summer.

Norwich City appointed Liam Manning this summer, seeing the Robins replace Manning with former Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber.

Earlier this summer, Bristol City signed Emil Riis Jakobsen after his exit from Preston North End. Adam Randell joined Bristol City from Plymouth Argyle and Joe Lumley joined from Southampton.

Despite those positive signings, the feeling at Ashton Gate this summer has been marred by the emotional exit of veteran Nahki Wells, who has now lifted the lid on his dubious Robins exit.

• READ MORE: Gerhard Struber faces one unavoidable obstacle in quest to reunite with Koln star at Bristol City, it’s out of his hands

Nahki Wells comments on Bristol City exit after Gerhard Struber’s appointment

Earlier in the window, EFL Analysis revealed that Wells was likely to leave Bristol City this summer, after five-and-a-half years with the Robins.

Bristol City fans reacted to Wells’ exit with heartfelt messages on social media, with many “gutted” about the veteran forward’s departure.

35-year-old Wells left the Robins after scoring 48 goals and registering 19 assists in 237 appearances, and has since joined League One side Luton Town this summer.

With the Robins fanbase and Wells, still reeling from his departure, the Bermuda international has lifted the lid on his “upsetting exit”.

Wells told One Stream in Bristol: “To not have been afforded an opportunity to stay at the club, in any degree, was one that was like being stabbed in the heart.

“I was told I would be offered something from a certain individual at the football club to then not hear from them for six weeks.

“The manager changed, a new manager comes in.

“As soon as he’s announced, I get the call that, I’m not needed and he and they want to go a different route.

“So the assumption was that I didn’t get the contract length that I wanted. I didn’t get the wages that I wanted or wished for.

“I just wasn’t afforded any option to stay at the football club. So it was a very upsetting summer for myself in that sense.”

Now, the onus is on Struber and new centre-forward arrival Jakobsen to vindicate the decision of the Bristol City hierarchy in letting Wells leave.

• READ MORE: Bristol City’s most expensive signings of all time including fan favourite and former Chelsea star

Gerhard Struber must prove that Bristol City made right call with Nahki Wells

Allowing a universally loved character in Bristol City circles to depart the club for free, after six seasons of service, was a big call from Struber and the Robins hierarchy.

Bristol City’s biggest problem in the summer transfer window was the necessity to add firepower in the goalscoring ranks, made even more important by the departure of Wells.

Jakobsen was on Sunderland’s radar earlier in the season, amid his impressive campaign at Preston in which he ended on 12 goals and two assists from 45 league outings.

After arriving from Burnley in the mid-season window of 2020, for a £5m fee, Wells endeared himself as a Robins legend for his selfless attitude and goalscoring exploits.

In the eyes of Bristol City fans, Jakobsen will have a lot to live up to by taking up Wells’ mantle, and the necessity for the Dane to hit the ground running is even more important given that next season could be the best Championship yet.

With Wells implying it was Struber and Bristol City chief Brian Tinnion who decided to let him leave, only time will tell as to whether the Robins have made the right call.