Championship side Bristol City has signed forward Dire Mebude on loan from Belgian side KCV Westerloo, as confirmed via a statement on the club’s website.
The 19-year-old joins The Robins on a deal that lasts until the end of the season.
Mebude has had an impressive youth career, starting at Rangers before Joining Manchester City u18 level. He worked his way up to the u21 side and in the 2022/23 season, he recorded 12 goals and 14 assists in 29 games in the Premier League 2.
Following his impressive season in academy football, Mebude took the risk and moved to Belgium to sign for Westerloo for a fee that was reported to be around 1.75 million pounds. So far this season the risk had seemed to have not paid off, with minutes hard to come by so far. Mebude has only managed three appearances so far and 96 minutes in total and is yet to register a goal or assist in his short spell in Belgium.
Mebude joins a Bristol City side as their fourth signing of the window, following the loan made permanent of Taylor Gardner-Hickman, and the signings of Scott Twine, Josh Stokes, and Adam Murphy. The Robins currently sit 13th in the Championship on 38 points, giving the red side of Bristol an outside chance of the playoffs still.
Since the arrival of manager Liam Manning earlier in the season Bristol City have had a successful time, picking up more results in the league with a better quality of football being played, on top of knocking Premier League side West Ham out of the FA Cup and Taking other Premier League side Nottingham Forest to a replay.
Mebude joins adding options on the flank for Manning’s men, with a direct and fast playing style with the ability to score and create goals, which is something they have struggled to do this season, netting only 33 times in 29 games.
Upon confirmation of the transfer, manager Liam Manning stated:
“Dire is an exciting young player and will add to our attacking options.”
“We’ve been watching him for a while and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do in a City shirt.”
Writer’s View
Mebude is something Bristol City have needed in the way that he has the potential to create more chances as well as score them himself too.
Quick, direct and a problem for full-backs, I can see him being a loan they may look to make permanent in the summer if all goes to plan.