Gerhard Struber sheds light on transfer process as Bristol City boss 'far away' from headache | Bristol Live

Gerhard Struber and Bristol City have already added three new signings to their squad during the January transfer window - as Roeds boss explains how they check on players, and what he is looking for

Gerhard Struber has shed new light on Bristol City's transfer process during the winter window, with the Robins boss still feeling as if he is "far away" from having a selection headache ahead of the weekend's trip to Oxford United.

The Reds have moved quickly to bolster their ranks this January, with three new faces arriving at Ashton Gate so far. George Earthy has returned on loan from West Ham until the end of the season, Sam Morsy has signed a short-term deal, and Ranel Young has linked up with the Under-21s after penning an 18-month contract.

While the work done so far this winter has improved the strength and depth of the squad at Struber's disposal, he remains keen to make further additions. A new striker is still a top priority, while Sturm Graz's Tomi Horvat has also been linked with a move to the West Country.

Naturally, the Reds are keen to ensure that any further signings will be a natural fit in Struber's system on the field. For the Austrian and his recruitment team, however, ensuring that such players are the right character away from the pitch is just as important, with all boxes needing to be checked before anything is put to paper.

"First of all, we check is he technical-tactical-wise an interesting player for us," the head coach explained to Bristol Live at the High Performance Centre. "On the same time, it's important that we bring some references inside and of course, the football world is big from one side but also very small from the other side.

"I think with all the contacts that I have right now, it's very easy to get - over the whole planet - information on players. In this direction, I am of course also interested always to speak with the player before we start together. This is also here, in Bristol City, the case.

"I think this is something where I have to be in a really good touch with this player [so] that I feel he helps us not only on the field but also in the dressing room," Struber added. "I need players [that] love the project, love this club, and they have to, in the end, feel the responsibility from more perspectives and not only go outside and play a little bit of football.

"This is more, Bristol City is more. This is a big duty to come in more directions on a high level, and in this way, we check all the boxes before we sign a player."

With their aforementioned early business and the return of several key first-team players from injury, the Robins now have a variety of options available for selection in the majority of positions, with the lack of striking back-up behind Emil Riis and Sinclair Armstrong the only real area to address.

Such depth has been something Struber has been keen to have at his disposal ever since he was named City head coach last summer. It does, however, seemingly make it more challenging for the Austrian to both pick a starting line-up and increases the likelihood of players being frustrated by a lack of game time.

Of course, the Reds boss is keen to oversee as happy a camp as possible, but he accepts that some are likely to be dissatisfied with their involvement over the coming weeks, with such a situation part and parcel of wanting to push towards the top of the division.

"I would say I'm far away from a headache," Struber smiled when asked about the depth of his squad. "I am happy with my roster, and I think for me, it's a little bit of a normal one: when we want more, we have in the end a deeper roster and maybe the one or other player [who] is disappointed when he doesn't play.

"This is the reality from a team that wants to be, in the end, on a really high level. We work for that and the decisions that I want to do in the next few weeks, hopefully, are always on the right way, but this is sometimes for the one or other player a little bit of a disappointment, this is clear.

"Everyone is fighting outside on a top level in the training. Also, the games, every single player is - most of the time - on a really high level.

"That's the competition, that's football, and I have to be in a good exchange with all my players so that they have a little bit of understanding about my decision."