Leyton Orient has rejected a second bid from Bristol City for striker Dom Ballard, sources have told Football Insider. The 21-year-old has established himself as a crucial part of Richie Wellens' squad.

What happened?

Bristol City's interest in Ballard comes as they have identified the addition of a new striker as their priority for the summer transfer window. Emil Riis is currently the only senior striker on the books at Ashton Gate, but was able to find the net just nine times in 44 Championship appearances last season.

Why it matters for Leyton Orient

Leyton Orient are standing firm on their valuation and are hopeful of keeping the striker whose contract is set to run until 2028, placing them in a strong position, as they finished 20th in League One with 52 points, 14W-10D-22L from 46 games, and a recent form of DLLDL. The club is determined to prevent a slide down the table and hopes to keep their better players at the club, after finishing 51 points behind leaders Lincoln.

What comes next?

Ballard is not the only Leyton Orient star attracting interest this summer, with the club already pushed into selling one of their best players in this transfer window, as Football Insider exclusively revealed in June that Wigan were closing in on signing Sonny Perkins. Leyton Orient's last result was a 2-2 draw against Burton Albion on 2026-05-02, and the club will look to build on this performance in the upcoming season, with a strong squad and a focus on retaining key players.