Kodjia Is Club Record Sale And Record Purchase

Steve Lansdown has revealed Jonathan Kodjia is both the club’s record sale and purchase.

The Ivory Coast international striker left Ashton Gate for Aston Villa just before deadline day for a record fee paid between two Championship clubs, with the deal worth up to £15m.

The big-money transfer also became City’s club record sale; it was more than four times to £3.5m Wolves shelled out for Ade Akinbiyi in 1999.

As for the club’s record purchase, there was much speculation this summer that Lee Tomlin’s arrival from AFC Bournemouth had taken over that mantle.

But City’s majority shareholder has put the record straight, in an exclusive interview with Bristol City Player HD.

In the 13-minute chat, Lansdown revealed City paid £3m for Tomlin, but this was just short of the £3.25m the club eventually paid Angers SCO for Kodjia.

Lansdown said: “Jonathan Kodjia is the biggest purchase we’ve made. When you take into account the conversion of the Euro and all the installments and additional payments, the deal was around £3.25m

“The Lee Tomlin deal was £3m, so that didn’t top it. To put everything into perspective, we spent about £11m on transfers this summer. That’s the figure that has been invested into the squad and hopefully the supporters will appreciate that.”

Lansdown also apologised for his comments that Kodjia wouldn’t be sold to a Championship rival a few weeks before his departure to Villa.

“I meant that statement; it was the beginning of the season and we had no intention of selling him,” added the majority shareholder.

“However, I should have known better having been in football a long time as circumstances can change.

“I didn’t think a Championship side would match our evaluation but Aston Villa did. Nobody can argue about the fee; it’s a tremendous deal for the football club.

“When we got to that crunch final week Jonathan didn’t want to play at Scunthorpe and reluctantly sat on the bench. He made his feelings known that he wanted to move.

“Both Mark (Ashton) and Lee (Johnson) recommended to me that we accept Villa’s offer, we I agreed to even though I’d made that statement. I’d just like to apologise to supporters if they feel I’ve misled them in anyway.”