Johnson says no to Michael Mifsud
City looked set to sign the Malta international from Championship rivals Coventry after he agreed personal terms and passed a medical at the weekend.
But Bristol City manager Gary Johnson last night pulled the plug on the proposed £1.5 million deal, accusing the 27-year-old striker and his representatives of behaving unprofessionally and showing a lack of respect for the club.
The Evening Post understands Mifsud and his agent agreed the terms of a three-year contract on Saturday, only to alter their stance dramatically on Monday and table additional demands.
When the player failed to show at Ashton Gate yesterday, a furious Johnson contacted Mifsud's agent to call the whole thing off.
“I don't think he's right for us,” said Johnson. “I know people will be shocked by that and this is not me trying to enhance my reputation for interview techniques.
“I can't commit £1.5m of the club's money to people that I don't think can be committed for three years. That means so much to me and this football club. We've worked so hard over the last few years getting where we are with the dressing room we have.
“Him, his representative and lawyer took negotiations to a new level that I've never seen before, not as in finances necessarily, but in the way they were conducting business.
“In my opinion, it wasn't very professional and certainly not respectful of this football club.”
Johnson added: “When I talk to people and try to do a deal with them, you get to know their weaknesses. Although they might be very good players, if they aren't the right personality for me and the club then they'll let you down in the end.”
This is the latest in a series of setbacks suffered by City this summer and Johnson's search for a pacy striker appears to be back at square one.
He had lined up a similar £1.5m deal for Egypt international forward Emad Meteb, who was unveiled as a City player earlier this month after passing a medical and agreeing a three-year contract.
But the move fell through when Meteb went against City's wishes by playing for his club, Al-Ahly, in the Cairo derby against Zamalek on July 20. Johnson pulled out of the deal and instead switched his attentions to Mifsud.
The Maltese submitted a written transfer request to Sky Blues boss Chris Coleman, and Coventry accepted a bid from City last week. But Johnson was not prepared to budge on what he considered an important point of principle.
Nevertheless, the absence of any new strikers just 10 days before the start of their Championship campaign will disappoint City fans, who have become increasingly disgruntled in recent weeks.
The collapse of the deal will no doubt be a cause of embarrassment to Robins chairman Steve Lansdown, who told supporters at the club's open day on Sunday that Mifsud would definitely sign the following day.
Johnson said: “I'm sorry for the supporters and especially sorry for the chairman, because he's done exactly what I wanted him to. He's twice come up with £1.5m for Meteb and Mifsud.
“Twice we've agreed with clubs and twice we've agreed with players. I'm only going to do things which are right for the football club – I promise the fans that.
“Both situations proved, given certain incidents during negotiations with the players, that they weren't right. I think at some stage we would have lost them, albeit in the head or whatever circumstances.
“However good the players are, you will lose them in the end if they don't come across as what you need for the football club.”
Johnson added: “I've discussed this with the chairman because it's serious stuff when you pull out of deals, having worked so hard following them.
“I had a text from the player (Mifsud) on Saturday saying that he had enjoyed looking around Bristol and would be down on Monday to sign.
“I told the chairman that and he obviously announced that at the Open Day, like I had done to many fans. The lad reneged on that and, at that point, I started questioning things.”
Johnson remains hopeful of signing an unnamed European-based target man ahead of Bristol City's August 9 curtain-raiser against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
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