Struber 'open' to more signings if 'right character'

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber says he is "open" to signing more players in the current transfer window but only if they are the right "character" for the club.

Struber, who was appointed in June following Liam Manning's departure, takes charge of his first Championship match on Saturday, 9 August when the Robins face Sheffield United.

City have brought in striker Emil Riis, midfielder Adam Randall and goalkeepers Joe Lumley and Radek Vitek - the latter on loan - so far this summer.

"We're open, but it's super important that when you have a group that have such good energy together, then it's not just about finding someone who is good on the tactical or technical level - they must also have the right character," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol's Sound of the City.

Struber also said the "door was open" to adding another striker to the squad alongside Riis, Sinclair Armstrong, Fally Mayulu and Harry Cornick, but the "perfect fit" would be a more versatile player.

"With one or other player we are more flexible, we maybe bring a player in and he can play in more positions, this would be the perfect fit," he said.

"We are looking sharp on the market, I cannot promise but we want to do a good job and hopefully in the end of the transfer window, we can say we made many things in the right way."

Bristol City reached the play-offs in May for the first time in 17 years with the smallest squad in the Championship, using just 24 players.

The togetherness and bond between the playing group was repeatedly drawn on as a factor in their success which Struber stressed he needed to maintain.

"This is a big asset that we are so strong together and this could make a big difference," he said.

"I have a big value in this, that my group knows exactly how important it is that we have this togetherness and this energy, this is something what makes us special."

Bristol City is Struber's second coaching role in English football, having previously spent 11 months managing Barnsley from 2019 to 2020.

He has also had spells at New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Salzburg and most recently Cologne, taking the German club to the verge of promotion last season.

He said he will bring a more "pro-active" style of play to the team this season.

"I don't want to only have one system, I want to be very fluid in how we press and how we handle possession," he said.

"We want to press high on the field, we want to be vertical in transition, very direct and at the same time I like it that in possession we find moments of control and domination.

"In all faces of the game we want to be unpredictable - not so much [like] the last season."