Bristol City Make Key Breakthrough In Seven-Figure Striker Chase

Bristol City have secured the signing of Plymouth Argyle striker Lorent Tolaj after lodging a £4 million bid.

The Robins have been keen on signing the Swiss striker after his stellar campaign at Home Park, with the Daily Mail reporting earlier today that they had entered talks to secure his services.

Deal Reached

Now, according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Tolaj is set to sign for the Ashton Gate club, with a deal agreed and the 24-year-old set to undergo a medical within the next two days.

The striker was brought to Devon 12 months ago following a £1.2 million transfer from Port Vale, and immediately struck a chord with 18 goals and eight assists, helping propel Argyle back from an early-season slump to challenge for a playoff place.

He has been coveted by numerous sides heading into the summer, with Preston North End a potential destination had Paul Heckingbottom’s side offloaded Milutin Osimajic.

However, expectations of a sale were dampened when manager Tom Cleverley stated that there was no pressure to sell either him or Aribim Pepple this summer, but left open the possibility that a bid could be accepted for the right price.

New Bristol City manager Michael Skubala has been keen on adding the best talent from League One to his new squad, having secured a seven-figure deal to sign goalkeeper Sam Tickle from Wigan Athletic.

Brilliant Deal For Robins

For Bristol City, this is a major signing and statement that they want to challenge once more after a slump season under Gerhard Struber.

Having already secured one of League One’s top goalkeepers in Sam Tickle, they have now sealed a deal for arguably the division’s best striker in Lorent Tolaj, who could prove to be the first of two new offensive additions in the coming weeks.

Dom Ballard is also on the radar of Michael Skubala, and while a £5 million price tag may dissuade them, adding the reigning League One Golden Boot winner to Tolaj and existing option Emil Riis Jakobsen will hand them a threatening trio up front.

Not only a threat himself, Tolaj proved to be a brilliant chance creator in his own right, and if his strike partner at Ashton Gate can strike a similar rapport as he had with Bim Pepple, then this could be the difference maker which could put them in with a serious chance of promotion.

Hammer Blow For Argyle Chances

With previous comments coming out of the club stating that no sales were being planned heading into the start of pre-season, this is a major kick in the teeth to what Plymouth Argyle were hopeful to achieve next season.

Retaining both Tolaj and Pepple, alongside improving their current ranks would have seriously given the Pilgrims a major shot at the League One title, and while a £4 million sale is a great deal and turnover for a player they signed for £1.2 million a year earlier, it has put a major dent in their on-field hopes.

Given that interest has also emerged for Bim Pepple this summer from Lincoln City, there is now a serious possibility that they lose both of their key forward options, and that will leave them in need of finding a new proven goalscoring option in a market that knows they have racked up a serious budget in sales.

Therefore, it is now crucial that Tom Cleverley retains the Canadian international by the time the window shuts, otherwise it will be a very tough campaign ahead for a club that just months ago seemed to be heading in the right direction on the pitch.