Good morning, and welcome to today's Bristol City live blog.

The Robins finally returned to training this week after what seems like an eternity following training plans from home as the coronavirus lockdown continues to be loosened.

And clubs are set to cast their votes in the next few days over how to end the season, with Bristol City joining the likes of Leeds United and West Brom in wanting to complete their remaining games.

The EFL have said they need a 51 per cent majority in order to complete or curtail the season, and we are likely to learn the fate of the season imminently.

Lee Johnson spoke to the press after their first training session back at Failand, and addressed a number of issues including player contracts, transfer plans and artificial crowd noise for behind closed doors games.

He also spoke about the return of on-loan striker Benik Afobe, and labelled his comeback from an ACL injury as like a 'new signing'.

Scroll down for Bristol City updates throughout the day.

That's all from us today

Thanks for reading and we’ll be back tomorrow for more from Bristol City and across the Championship.

Take care of yourselves and have a pleasant evening.

Good night!

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Johnson on the date when matches *could* resume

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Johnson laid out the date when he hopes games can re-commence and also detailed how City will have to manage travelling to away games.

Read the full story HERE

Lee Johnson departs the team bus at Elland Road
Lee Johnson departs the team bus at Elland Road
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Championship rumours

Chelsea interested in Benrahma

Brentford star Said Benrahma has been identified as Chelsea’s number one transfer target this summer, according to La Gazette du Fennec.

Pedro and Willian are both out of contract at the Blues once the season ends, and the Premier League giants will look elsewhere to replace the two wingers.

Benrahma has been integral for Brentford this season in the Championship, scoring 10 goals in 34 appearances for the Bees.

According to the report, Chelsea would have to pay £31m to tempt Brentford to sell the Algeria international, just shy of the £33.3m they dropped on Ajax star Hakim Ziyech earlier this year.

Niclas Eliasson of Bristol City is challenged by Said Benrahma of Brentford
Niclas Eliasson of Bristol City is challenged by Said Benrahma of Brentford (Image: Rogan/JMP)

Leeds want Arsenal goalkeeper

Leeds United have made an approach to sign young Arsenal goalkeeper James Hillson, according to Football Insider.

Hillson is set to be offered a new long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium before being sent out on loan.

But Marcelo Bielsa’s side are keen to add to their goalkeeping options, with on-loan Illan Meslier wanted on a permanent basis and Hillson also a target.

The 19-year-old English shot-stopper has made two appearances for the U23s Gunners side this season.

Swansea interested in Van La Parra

Swansea City and Norwich City are both interested in signing Rajiv Van La Parra after he left Red Star Belgrade, according to the Daily Mail.

Van La Parra only signed for the Serbian side in the summer of 2019, but both parties agreed on terminating his contract in March.

The 28-year-old already has plenty of experience in the English game, after spells at Wolves, Brighton & Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough.

The former Netherlands U21 international played a key part in getting Huddersfield promoted to the Premier League in 2017.

Dortmund agreement for Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund have an agreement in place for Birmingham City starlet Jude Bellingham, according to German publication SportBild, via Sport Witness.

Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move for Bellingham, who became the Blues’ youngest ever player at the start of the season.

The German outlet are reporting Dortmund have an agreement in place with the player but do not mention any deal struck between the two clubs.

The 16-year-old has featured 32 times in the Championship for Pep Clotet’s side, and has scored four goals in the process.

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A different take on Just for Men

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Brian Wilson interview!

A blast from the not-so far away past, maybe, but the former Bristol City defender is one of a few to have played under both Gary AND Lee Johnson.

Wilson spent three years at City 2007-2010 and had a front-row seat of the team’s rise from League One into Championship promotion contention.

Read the full story HERE

Brian Wilson battles with Ipswich's Owen Garvan
Brian Wilson battles with Ipswich's Owen Garvan
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Memories are made of this ...

Chances are Matty Taylor will be off on June 30, having shone during his season on loan at Oxford and with his contract expiring.

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Play-offs could take place in National League

Not of immediate concern to City, but interesting to see in the overall context of the EFL that the FA has granted permission to the National League to extend its season, meaning the play-offs could be held.

The top tier of non-league football has been suspended since March following the coronavirus outbreak, and clubs voted last month to end the season prematurely.

A decision is still to be made on how the league will decide on its final standings, meaning promotion and relegation is still up in the air for clubs.

Proposals on how to end the season are yet to be voted on by clubs, meaning there is still the possibility the season may be declared null and void.

But with the FA paving the way for the National League to stage the play-offs this summer, clubs chasing promotion to the EFL have been handed a big boost.

Barrow sit top in the only automatic promotion spot, while Harrogate Town, Notts County, Yeovil Town, Boreham Wood, FC Halifax Town and Stockport County currently make up the rest of the top seven.

The decision could also have ramifications on League Two and the rest of the EFL, with decisions on how to conclude the season expected to be made soon.

Courtney Duffus of Yeovil Town (l) celebrates scoring against Eastleigh
Courtney Duffus of Yeovil Town (l) celebrates scoring against Eastleigh
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EFL club chairman offers boost to fans

An EFL club chairman hopes the new season could begin in September and potentially with some fans being allowed into grounds to watch games.

Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann believes the start of the next campaign will be ‘difficult’ to begin as it traditionally does in light of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The current season is yet to be officially concluded, though clubs in League Two have voted to end the campaign.

Though the picture is less clearer in League One with clubs at present divided over how the current campaign should be concluded, players in the Championship have followed their counterparts in the Premier League and returned to training with a view of playing out the remaining fixtures this season.

What is clear is that if action resumes this campaign, it will be behind closed doors and some observers believing it could be 2021 before fans are fully allowed back into grounds.

But Iron chairman Swann – who are 20th in League Two with nine games left to play this season – is hoping the next campaign can start in September, but with some fans being allowed into stadiums with social distancing measures in place.

He told GrimsbyLive: “The beginning of August will be difficult (to start the new season), so you are probably looking at September at the earliest which is another three months.

“That is going to be tough for clubs to survive. If it’s the beginning of September, most clubs in this division will need money in July to help get us through until then.

“We are hoping it is September – and there is also talk of some semblance of crowds coming back if we can get our stadium in a position to do that. We will work as hard as we can in the coming months to have something in place so we can keep some sort of distance between the fans.

“At least if we can get 2,000 in, or even 2,500 in, it’s a big help – and that is a possibility. It is something we have really got to look at.

“We have got the car parking space to have one every other space to keep people apart. I am sure we can put barriers up and systems in place so people can into the ground okay.

“We are going to work as hard as we can but, at the moment, we are just sitting here haemorrhaging money because nobody is making a decision and that is frustrating for us.

“We are waiting to see what happens, but the frustration is at the time it has taken to get where we are now.

“I felt we could have done this very early on. There was never going to be an opportunity for League Two to get back and play because of the cost involved.

“The National League made their decision very early because of financial reasons, and perhaps we should have done that.”

Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann
Scunthorpe United chairman Peter Swann
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Lansdown ruffling feathers

Leeds United and West Brom fans haven't reacted particularly well to Steve Lansdown's comments on promotion.

The Bristol City owner spoke to ITV West Country about the season restart and claimed that it would be a 'hollow victory' for anyone to be promoted without completing the remaining games.

Bristol City join West Brom and Leeds as sides who want to play the remaining games instead of deciding the season on an unweighted points per game system.

And his words have cut deep, leaving Leeds United and West Brom fans upset and clamouring to continue the war of words.

Read more here.

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Could the Championship follow?

News from the Premier League this afternoon.

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ICYMI - what we noticed from training

There was a definite first-day-back-at-school vibe about Bristol City's return to training, 74 days since the players had last set foot at Failand for a formal session as a team.

As the club media channel documented the players stepping out of their SUVs, each one possessing sheepish grins of excitement at being back at work.

Here are four things we noticed from what Johnson had to say and the various footage that was broadcast as 26 Bristol City players trained once again at Failand ...

Read more here.

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Everything you need to know about today's key EFL meeting

The EFL will meet today to discuss the final plans for finishing the season, with clubs set to vote this week on whether to finish the remaining games or curtail the season.

Bristol City and Bristol Rovers fans could face different outcomes, with Championship clubs likely to want to play the remaining games and League One clubs leaning towards ending the season now and deciding the final positions on an unweighted points per game system.

EFL chairman Rick Parry will meet with board members virtually today to discuss the final blueprints for how to fairly end the seasons should clubs not wish to play their remaining games.

Read more here.

EFL chairman Rick Parry (Image: Getty)
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The Great Big Football Lockdown Survey

Don't forget to take part in our Great Big Lockdown Survey.

You can vote on how you think the season should end, if teams should be allowed to play, when it should return and more.

Have your say here.

Bristol City fans celebrate (Image: Rogan/JMP)
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Adam Nagy up for the Q&A today

What do you want to know about the Hungarian midfielder?

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What City are willing to pay for Pereira

Pedro Pereira was back at Bristol City training on Monday with the rest of the squad, but a return to Failand wasn't as unfamiliar and new to the Portuguese as it was to many of his teammates.

Pereira has been permitted by the club to use the facility for his own personal sessions throughout the lockdown, with the 22-year-old living in a flat in central Bristol with limited access to training facilities.

The Portuguese right-back is one of four players on loan at the Robins whose long-term futures need to be decided in the next few months, potentially even before with June 30 looming.

City have an option to make his loan deal from Benfica into a permanent transfer but it will cost €6m (around £5.3m), a figure, which according to the latest reports in Portugal is too much.

Read more here.

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Full Lee Johnson transcript

Read every word from Lee Johnson's press conference after the first day back at training on Monday.

Johnson addressed several topics, including the return to training of on loan striker Benik Afobe.

Read more about what he had to say here.

Benik Afobe of Bristol City (Image: Rogan/JMP)
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Good morning!

Thanks for joining us. Stay tuned for updates throughout the day.

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