Bristol City have informed wantaway goalkeeper Adriano Basso they are prepared to rip up his contract and allow him to leave Ashton Gate for nothing if he can find another club.

But they have imposed a deadline and warned the Brazilian the offer will be withdrawn unless he can secure a move by the end of this weekend.

The Evening Post understands Basso's agent, John Halliwell, has told the transfer-listed keeper he has found a club willing to take him during the January window, providing he is available on a free transfer.

Halliwell's decision to go public on Sky Sports on Thursday night has now prompted City to call his bluff.

City officials maintain they have not received a single enquiry for Basso since he submitted a written transfer request in August last year.

Yet the South American, who is out of contract in May, believes there has been interest from other clubs and that City have kept the details from him, thereby preventing him from securing a move.

City officials today declined to comment, but sources confirmed the offer made to Basso and his agent.

If Halliwell has a club lined up and is able to agree a deal either today or tomorrow, City will cancel Basso's contract by mutual agreement and allow him to leave as a free agent. If not, he will remain in limbo at Ashton Gate.

And if no club is prepared to rescue him by the end of this month, he could be forced to see out the remainder of his contract while sat on the sidelines.

Accorded hero status by City fans, Basso played a major role in the club's elevation to the Coca-Cola Championship in 2007 and helped the Robins reach the play-off final at Wembley a year later.

But he became disaffected 15 months ago, believing an unnamed Premier League club had made an offer for him and that City, intent upon holding out for more money, had rejected the approach and failed to inform him.

When City chairman Steve Lansdown offered him a contract extension for the 2010-11 season in February last year, the Brazilian steadfastly refused to sign and then stunned the club by formally requesting a transfer just days before the commencement of the current Championship campaign.

Meanwhile, City boss Johnson spoke openly of his desire to reach agreement with Basso and gave him four Championship starts in September while negotiations continued.

But the situation changed irrevocably when the 34-year-old keeper gave an interview to the media in late November, insisting he wanted to be allowed to leave Ashton Gate in January.

That proved the final straw for Johnson, who responded by dropping Basso and installing former Republic or Ireland Under-21 international Stephen Henderson as cover for first-choice stopper Dean Gerken.

Having effectively burned his bridges, Basso clearly has no future at City and the club are prepared to release him from his contract in order to get him off the wage bill.

Should Basso's agent secure him a deal elsewhere before the transfer window closes, the manager will seek to recruit a third goalkeeper from a shortlist of potential replacements drawn up by chief scout Pete Johnson.

The Post tried to contact Halliwell, but he was not available for comment.