Robins cannot afford 'finished article' - Tinnion

Former Bristol City player Brian Tinnion is now the club's technical director

Bristol City technical director Brian Tinnion has said the club cannot afford to buy players who are the "finished article", after not signing anyone during the January transfer window.

The Robins did not bring in any players last month while four left on loan, with Tommy Backwell's move to Cheltenham also made permanent.

At the start of the month the Championship club said they signed more players last summer - seven with only two departing - than originally planned, which had an impact.

"We had to get a few off the wage bill and we had to get the budget back to where it could have been," Tinnion told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We thought it was best that the players that were in the building, the players that got us to this position, were given the 16 games to show us where they are.

"They're developing as a team. The new players that have come in [Scott] Twine and [Max] Birdy and [Luke] McNally and [Yu] Hirakawa are still settling in - when you recruit young players they always need time.

"Anis Mehmeti is now showing us from two years ago when we signed him what we were hoping he could become."

Young French striker Fally Mayulu was among those to leave on loan after joining the club on a four-year deal. He scored two goals in his first two games, but then struggled to make his mark.

Forward Sinclair Armstrong, 21, similarly has three goals in 23 games since joining from QPR in July.

Many Robins fans have criticised the lack of a marquee striker in the squad with Bristol City three points outside the play-offs and pushing for a top-six finish.

"We paid £2m each for Fally and Sincs. They're not the finished article - we know that - but we've got to give them time to develop, and we think they will," Tinnion said.

"Every transfer is a gamble, every transfer doesn't work and we accept that and we'll take responsibility when it doesn't.

"But Bird has and [Jason] Knight has and McNally has and Dickie has and Mehmeti's now thriving. I'd take one out of eight."

Wells 'comfortable' despite no new deal

Tinnion also confirmed no decision has been made about striker Wells, with the 34-year-old's contract expiring this summer.

"We haven't had the budget for next year. We're going to speak to Nahki when that's in place but he's really comfortable with the position he's in, enjoying his football, playing extremely well, brilliant around the dressing room, brilliant on the pitch," Tinnion said.

Wells, who has seven goals this season, has been completing his coaching badges alongside playing and Tinnion said a player-coach role could be possible next season.

"It could be an option if that's what Nahki wants to do, but probably Nahki thinks at the moment he's got a lot more football in him as he is running round like a 25-year-old," Tinnion said.