Bristol City will face stiff competition from the Premier League for the signature of England goalkeeper David James. The Championship club have made an audacious bid to sign the 39-year-old stopper, who is a free agent after being released by crisis club Portsmouth. City manager Steve Coppell wants James at Ashton Gate next season and has sent the goalkeeper's agent details of a proposed one-year contract. But the Robins are involved in a three-way fight to sign the former Aston Villa and Liverpool keeper after Premier League rivals Fulham and Sunderland declared their interest in James, who featured in three of England's four games at the World Cup finals in South Africa.
Bristol Evening Post

Steve Coppell has made an audacious bid to lure England goalkeeper David James to Bristol City. James, 39, has been offered a 12-month contract with the Championship club, having turned down a move to Celtic for family reasons. James is unlikely to be short of offers from bigger clubs, but ambitious Bristol chairman Steve Lansdown hopes to pull off a transfer coup. Coppell is desperate to boost his squad after missing out on Ipswich Town striker Jon Stead, who failed to agree personal terms at Ashton Gate.
Mirror

Bristol City have launched an audacious bid to sign David James. The England goalkeeper is a free agent after leaving Portsmouth and had been strongly linked with a move to Celtic. The 39-year-old had been due to visit Glasgow on Monday but pulled out of the trip citing family reasons. The Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, said the door was still open for James to move to Parkhead if he wished. It now seems that the Championship club's manager, Steve Coppell, has made an attempt to bring James, who lives in Devon, to Bristol.
Guardian

Bristol City assistant manager Keith Millen says the club are still hoping to add to their squad before the start of the Championship season. Steve Coppell's side have experienced a disappointing pre-season so far, having suffered three defeats in the space of a week. Millen said: "It's unbelievable how difficult it has been this summer. Hopefully it will be busy in the next week or so."
BBC Sport

Bristol City's injury crisis deepened as Kalifa Cisse limped off with just eight minutes gone in this pre-season match at Huish Park. Signed from Reading earlier this month, the French-born Malian represents a central plank in manager Steve Coppell's planning for the new season. But his availability for the opening game of the Championship campaign at home to Millwall on Saturday week could be in doubt after he limped off with a thigh injury. Last year's top goal-scorers, Danny Haynes and Nicky Maynard, have missed all of pre-season and have no chance of being fit for the first game, while skipper Louis Carey and exciting prospect Christian Ribeiro have been similarly inconvenienced.
Bristol Evening Post

Yeovil Town suffered a 3-1 defeat at Huish Park to Bristol City last night in a pre-season friendly. A crowd of just under 1,750 was at the game.
Bridgwater Mercury

Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee was ecstatic at securing the signature of Paul Hartley and says he will make the experienced midfielder his captain.
Scottish TV

Ipswich striker Jon Stead has turned down a move to Bristol City. The 27-year-old forward is widely expected to leave Ipswich this summer having fallen down the pecking order at Portman Road under manager Roy Keane.
Sky Sports