Bristol City Stand Firm, Fally Mayulu Heads to Austria Instead of Stoke
Bristol City have made it clear they’re not in the mood to cash in on Fally Mayulu just yet. While Stoke City tried to tempt them with a £2.5 million offer for the 22-year-old striker, the Robins brushed it aside, choosing instead to ship Mayulu back to Austria for a six-month loan with Sturm Graz.
Stoke, under new boss Mark Robins, are scrambling for striking options since Leicester City recalled Tom Cannon. They saw Mayulu as a possible fix, but Bristol City want more time to figure out what they’ve actually got on their hands. Mayulu hasn’t exactly set the Championship alight since arriving from Rapid Vienna last summer. In fact, the Frenchman’s had just three starts and found the net twice across 15 appearances. Most weeks, he wasn’t even making the matchday bench under Liam Manning.
What’s interesting is Bristol City’s contract stance. Mayulu is tied down at Ashton Gate until 2028. Even though he’s not a regular, his potential is enough for the club to risk turning down a solid payday. Some football pundits raised eyebrows at Stoke’s bid, calling it a gamble given Mayulu’s mixed form and short CV in English football. Bristol, though, made it clear: selling now, with so many question marks, wasn’t the play.
Mayulu Returns to Familiar Ground in Austria
So, why loan him out? By sending Mayulu to Sturm Graz – the current leaders of the Austrian Bundesliga – Bristol City get the best of both worlds. The striker returns to football he knows, having notched promotion with BW Linz and experienced European nights with Rapid Vienna. He’ll also fill a gap left after Sturm Graz sold their frontman Mika Biereth to Monaco. For Mayulu, it’s a shot at getting regular minutes, scoring goals, and rebuilding the confidence that first earned him a move to England in the summer of 2023.
The move makes sense for Sturm Graz as well. After a run in the Champions League that didn’t last, they need firepower to keep their domestic edge. For Mayulu, Austria is familiar territory and could offer a smoother ride than the grind he faced in the Championship. It's a chance for him to reset his career, avoid the bench, and maybe prove he's worth Bristol City's patience or Stoke’s interest in the future.
In the end, Bristol City keep hold of their asset while giving him room to develop. Stoke City walk away empty-handed, at least for now, and Mayulu gets a fresh start back in a league where he’s felt comfortable before. For the striker, this Austrian return could be the lifeline his stuttering English adventure needed.
