Jodi Jones features: 5 EFL stars who must be on Bristol City's transfer shortlist | OneFootball

We looked at five EFL players that Bristol City should target before the closure of the transfer window.

Bristol City will be hoping to challenge for promotion in the Championship next season.

The Robins finished 11th in the table last season after an inconsistent campaign, but a run of just two defeats from the final 10 games has given supporters plenty of hope going into the summer.

Liam Manning initially struggled to make an impact after replacing Nigel Pearson in November, but there were signs towards the end of the season that he was starting to improve City, and it could be a busy summer as the 38-year-old looks to rebuild his squad.

The Robins have brought in one new signing so far this summer, with striker Fally Mayulu joining from Rapid Wien, while a number of senior players have left the club at the end of their contracts, including Matty James, Andy King and Andreas Weimann.

With finances at the club likely to be tight, City may have to look to the EFL for some bargain signings this summer, and we looked at five realistic options from the Championship, League One and League Two that the club should target.

Jodi Jones

After Manning switched to back three, there have been some question marks among Robins supporters over whether Cameron Pring is suited to the left-wing back role, so it is an area the club could look to strengthen this summer.

One player who would certainly fit the bill for City is Notts County's Jodi Jones, who scored five goals and registered a remarkable 23 assists in 46 appearances in all competitions last season.

There may be doubts over whether Jones would be able to make the step-up to the Championship, but he was tipped for big things earlier in his career, and after rediscovering his form with the Magpies, he could be ready to perform at a higher level.

Notts will be desperate to keep hold of Jones as they look to mount a promotion push next season, but the opportunity to play in the second tier with the Robins may be too tempting for the Malta international.

Jones could be a shrewd addition for City for an affordable fee, and with his ability to play on the left or right, he would add useful versatility to the squad in the wing-back areas.

Josh Sheehan

With James and King both leaving the club this summer, City may look to bolster their midfield options, and Bolton Wanderers' Josh Sheehan is a player that should be on their radar.

Sheehan scored four goals and registered 14 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for Bolton last term, and he won the Trotters' Player of the Season award.

The midfielder received further recognition for his excellent campaign as he was handed the captain's armband on just his sixth international appearance for Wales against Gibraltar last month, and Bolton could be vulnerable to losing him after missing out on promotion.

At 29, Sheehan may be slightly above the age profile that Manning is looking to bring in this summer, but he will need to replace the experience of James and King, and Sheehan would provide significantly more creativity than the duo who have departed.

Ruben Rodrigues

Manning was the manager of Oxford United before making the move to Ashton Gate in November, and it will be intriguing to see if he attempts to sign any players from his former club this summer.

Midfielder Ruben Rodrigues joined Oxford from Notts County last summer, and he enjoyed an excellent debut season at the Kassam Stadium as he scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 54 appearances in all competitions to help the U's to promotion from League One via the play-offs.

The 27-year-old showed his class as he registered two assists in the 2-0 win over Bolton in the play-off final at Wembley in May, and that performance will surely have alerted other clubs to his talent.

It could be tough for the Robins to convince Oxford to sell Rodrigues this summer, particularly as they are now in the same division, but he would be an exciting signing for the club, and his relationship with Manning could help them get a deal over the line.

Harvey Knibbs

Adding more goals to the midfield will be important for the Robins this summer, and if Rodrigues is out of reach, they could reignite their interest in Reading's Harvey Knibbs.

City were among the clubs linked with Knibbs last summer, but he instead joined the Royals from Cambridge United, and after a difficult start to his time at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, he became one of the club's key players, ending the season with a total of 16 goals and six assists in 53 appearances in all competitions.

The 25-year-old was one of the main positives in a turbulent campaign for Reading, but with the club's ongoing takeover uncertainty showing no sign of being resolved, they could lose him this summer.

After another strong season in League One, Knibbs certainly looks ready to make the step-up to the Championship, and amid the Royals' off-field issues, the Robins could seal a deal for a cut-price fee.

Macaulay Langstaff

If the Robins are to challenge for the play-offs next season, they will need to bring in a prolific goalscorer this summer.

The signing of Mayulu has added to City's already strong forward options, which include the likes of Sam Bell, Tommy Conway, Harry Cornick and Nahki Wells, but the club still lack a player who would be capable of reaching the 20-goal mark.

Of course, finding that kind of goalscorer is usually incredibly costly, but Notts County striker Macaulay Langstaff could be a less expensive option.

Langstaff joined Notts from Gateshead in the summer of 2022, and he scored 41 goals in 47 games in all competitions to help the Magpies to promotion from the National League in his first year at the club.

The 27-year-old seamlessly made the step-up to League Two, and he finished as the top scorer in the EFL last season as he netted 29 goals and registered four assists in 49 appearances in all competitions.

Langstaff has been handed the captaincy by Notts boss Stuart Maynard in an attempt to keep him this summer, but he is attracting interest from elsewhere, and Millwall reportedly made a bid last week.