Nigel Pearson: Bristol City manager confirms Han-Noah Massengo could leave for free
- Published
Midfielder Massengo joined Bristol City from Monaco in 2019
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson has said the club needs to have "policies" to prevent players running down their contracts and leaving for free.
Pearson confirmed midfielder Han-Noah Massengo has not signed a new contract with the club ahead of his current deal running out in 2023.
The Frenchman, who joined the Robins in 2019, made 39 appearances last season.
Pearson said he had "no idea" if or when Massengo would commit to staying with Bristol City.
"The offer's been on the table for the season more or less," Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol. "I think that we as a club need to have policies which don't allow that in the future.
"We've invested an awful lot of money and time in him and unfortunately we're at a point where he's into the last year of his contract and there's nothing happening.
"There's nothing happening in terms of him committing himself for longer at the club and there's absolutely nothing happening in people being interested in him."
Pearson said earlier during pre-season that the "ideal solution" and his preferred outcome would be for Massengo to sign a new deal with the club rather than leave.
The 21-year-old has been an integral part of the team's midfield since joining from Monaco three years ago.
"Whatever people think of players, the bottom line is we pay his wages and he'll be a part of the squad or he'll be whatever we want him to be until time suits us either to move him on or not," Pearson continued.
"It's unfortunate because he's a lad who I really like and the offer that's on the table is a good offer for him, but outside of that I can't tell you what's in his brain or in his representatives' brains.
"Clearly it's just a situation that we don't want and I don't think he does either."
Bristol City finished 17th in the Championship at the end of Pearson's first full season in charge and he said the spirit between the squad is stronger now than at any other time during his tenure.
Pearson, who has so far brought in midfielder Mark Sykes from Oxford, defender Kal Naismith from Luton, Forest Green full-back Kane Wilson and young goalkeeper Stefan Bajic this summer, said he would like to bring more players in this transfer window, but circumstances may not allow it.
"What we have to do is recognise when we can do them and how we can do them, and unless circumstances change it's less likely that we're going do more business," he added. "But I'm not ruling anything out because things can change quickly.
"There has been some interest for one or two players who we don't want to leave, so that's as important as looking at lack of interest for players we might want to leave.
"It's definitely not a black and white picture, it's about making decisions that will enable us to make progress."