Without a Premier League budget, chances are that Cardiff’s January shopping will be conducted in the Championship. Fear not though, as Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid have proven, there is plenty of talent ready and waiting to make the step up. Here are six of the best;
Callum Robinson
http://gty.im/1040103576
I think it’s safe to say that Josh Murphy is the pick of Cardiff’s permanent summer signings. He looks a cut above his team mates at times and will need to drag them up to his level if Cardiff are to thrive this year. The chances of that would significantly improve with another of his ilk. Short of signing his twin brother Jacob from Newcastle, Callum Robinson would be their best bet, although Brentford’s Ollie Watkins is certainly worth a honourable mention.
The Republic of Ireland international can play anywhere across the front three and has just entered the final couple of years of his existing deal. The shining light in a Preston side that are attempting to climb up the table, after a nightmare start to the season left them rooted to the foot of the championship.
Robinson, who is 23 and about three weeks older than Murphy, was a prospect at Aston Villa before joining Preston on a free transfer in 2016. It is hard to know how much they would value him at. You would assume more than we paid them for Greg Cunningham, but it would be well worth asking the question.
Jonathan Kodja
http://gty.im/646349116
Jonathan Kodja is currently playing up front at Aston Villa with Tammy Abraham, the one that got away from Cardiff in the summer. Kodja turns 29 later in the month and after Villa’s underwhelming start to the season, he may be wondering if he’ll ever make the Premier League. Which could be where Cardiff step in.
Kodja cost Villa a reported £11m in 2016 and it remains to be seen if he will find favour with new boss Dean Smith. It’s worth bearing in mind that Scott Hogan has returned to fitness and was a firm favourite with Smith at Brentford. Both started on the bench for his first game in charge, as Smith went with Abraham up top on his own for the win against Swansea.
Cardiff need a big, attacking fulcrum and there are very few of Kodja’s ilk around. A long shot, but you never know.
Jota
http://gty.im/1033258090
Far more likely would be a move for Jota, as Villa’s rivals Birmingham City are on their knees financially. The talented Spanish schemer can play any attacking role, but it is predominantly a right winger. Cardiff are well stocked on the left at present, but look rather short on the other side.
Signed for just shy of £6m at the end of the 2017 summer window, he proved a brilliant find by Brentford’s stats nerds, who brought him over from Celta Vigo. He would offer the sort of craft that Cardiff have found in short supply in the Premier League. There is surely a deal to be done here and they could even try to include on loan Omar Bogle as a sweetener.
Massimo Luongo
http://gty.im/931639346
Massimo Luongo made headlines in 2015 when he was named in the list for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. This was due to him being named as the most valuable player at the Asian Cup while playing for the champions Australia.
Luongo, who has just under two years left on his contract, was plying his trade in the Championship at the time, having just moved to QPR from Swindon for around £3.5m. That is where he remains, but the 25-year-old midfield enforcer’s reputation continues to grow.
He recorded the most tackles in the division last season and Cardiff lack a player that can break up play in front of the back four. Maybe Aron Gunnarsson will return and thrive in that role, but injury has taken its toll on him and his current contract also expires in the summer. Luongo would represent a shrewd replacement and maybe even an upgrade.
Oliver Burke
http://gty.im/1016773594
When Oliver Burke exploded on the scene for Nottingham Forest a few years back, he looked like a phenomenon. Still in his teens at the time, he looked like a right-sided Wayne Rooney. He moved to RB Leipzig, who have one of those most sophisticated scouting networks in the game and know a player when they see one, for around £13m in August 2016.
Burke returned to England a year later with his tail between his legs, but Leipzig still managed to make a profit on him when West Brom stumped up £15m. He barely featured for them as they sank in to the Championship and barely features for them in the championship either. He has struggled with injuries, but also appears to be in need of an intervention.
Burke needs games if he is to fulfil his early promise and he looks every inch a Neil Warnock player. Just saying.
Ollie McBurnie
http://gty.im/1046573420
Wait, come back!
Look, I do believe that if Cardiff had someone like Ollie McBurnie, a sniffer, in their side, they would be a few more points better off by now. He may not look much like a footballer, with his awkward gait and slightly dishevelled appearance, but he is a very fine player indeed.
Swansea have played a dangerous game recently with their best young players, allowing McBurnie’s contract to run right down before agreeing new terms with him in the summer. They currently find themselves in the same position with Joe Rodon and Connor Roberts, who both head out of contract in the summer.
The 22-year-old turned down his native Leeds and Rangers, the team he supports, by agreeing a three-year deal, so is clearly committed to Swansea, but the club are also cost cutting. So were Cardiff, or any other club to come in for him, they would likely consider the offer, despite already being short in that position. Maybe he wouldn’t fancy Cardiff, or maybe, like Jazz Richards, it wouldn’t be an issue. If nothing else, think of the banter!