Nahki Wells On Bristol City Departure
Nahki Wells has broken his silence on his unexpected departure from Sky Bet Championship side Bristol City, revealing he was never given the opportunity to stay at Ashton Gate after his contract expired this summer.
The Bermuda striker, who arrived at from Burnley in January 2020, made 237 appearances and scored 48 goals across five and a half years with City.
He played a pivotal role for the club last season, scoring ten goals to help them reach the play-offs for the first time in 17 years.
Throughout the season, then-head coach Liam Manning publicly expressed his desire to keep Wells at the club.
City’s retained list even confirmed that talks were ongoing over a new contract.
However, that narrative changed swiftly following Manning’s departure to Norwich City and the arrival of Gerhard Struber as the new head coach.
“Stabbed in the heart” ????
We just sat down for an exclusive chat with Nakhi Wells.
He revealed exactly what transpired in the summer, between him and Bristol City.
Our newsletter readers find out tomorrow, a week before anyone else.
Sign up for FREE ???? https://t.co/P2xBHMT8nz pic.twitter.com/mA5Dw5CiMp— One Stream in Bristol (@OSIBPODMAG) July 22, 2025
Speaking on the One Stream in Bristol podcast, Wells expressed his shock and disappointment over how events unfolded.
“I left that season assuming that I would be a Bristol City player for at least another season, one in which I obviously felt that Liam [Manning] would have stayed around,” Wells said.
“I was told that I would be offered something, and then the next phone call I got a few days before the start of pre-season was just that I’m not getting offered anything.”
The 35-year-old was also keen to dispel speculation surrounding his exit.
“There was a little bit of a narrative in terms of how it went, when people don’t really know how it went.
“A lot of the assumption was that I didn’t get the contract length that I wanted, that I didn’t get the wages that I wanted or wished for, but I just wasn’t afforded any option to stay at the football club.
“It was a very upsetting summer for myself in that sense, because I never envisioned that. I never expected that to be the case.
“I would have felt bad if the club just wasn’t able to meet my terms and wishes, but to not have been afforded an opportunity to stay at the club in any degree was one that was like being stabbed in the heart, and it’s just a shame.
“There was no way that I felt like I was not going to be afforded an opportunity to stay at the club, and that was just how it went.
“I was told I would be offered something from a certain individual at the football club to then not hear from them for six weeks.
“A new manager comes in, as soon as he’s announced, I got the call that I’m not needed, and he and they want to go a different route.”
Despite the disappointing ending, Wells spoke warmly about his time in Bristol.
“Bristol is our home,” he said. “My kids know Bristol. My kids will live in Bristol until we leave, if we ever leave.
“So, there’s so much to be grateful for in that. I’m extremely grateful for everybody, and for somebody who was an expensive purchase who didn’t always perform as well as I’m capable of more regularly, to have always been loved and supported while I was at the club, I’m just forever grateful to the City supporters.
“It doesn’t always have to be [a] fairy tale [ending] because there’s still so much more life to me in football, but small opportunities like this give me a platform to thank everyone, and I’m going to be so grateful to my former team-mates, my former staff members and everyone going forward.
“I’ve got some friends and relationships which I’ll have for a lifetime that I’m forever grateful for, and like I said, Bristol is home.
“That club is like my club, so I’ll be down at the Gate as much as I can.”
Wells has since signed with League One side Luton Town, who are aiming for an immediate return to the Championship following a second successive relegation.
