Leeds United star Luke Ayling was snapped up for a bargain £750,000 in the summer of 2016.
Lee Johnson has told The Bristol Post he wouldn’t argue with the thought that Bristol City were wrong to sell now-Leeds United star Luke Ayling.
Right-back Ayling is set for a reunion with his former manager on Saturday as Leeds visit Ashton Gate hoping to end a run of three successive defeats.
The 26-year-old joined the Whites in a £750,000 move from the Robins under Garry Monks in the summer of 2016 in what now looks an absolute bargain.
The former Arsenal youth has established himself as one of the Championship’s most consistent defenders, failing to start only four league games since he arrived.
But although Johnson admits the club have been “judged” by their perceived error in letting Ayling go on the cheap, the 36-year-old says that the money was used to fund a loan move for Tammy Abraham, who scored 23 Championship goals in 40 games last term.
“At the time we thought it was the right decision,” he told The Bristol Post. “We’ve been judged and found wanting from a few on that one – you probably wouldn’t argue.
“But there are circumstances that go into a sale.
“At the time we needed to balance out financial fair play and it gave us the chance to bring in Tammy Abraham on season loan. That was the money we actually used from it.”
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