ROVERS AND OUT?
IS STALWART WHITTINGHAM SET FOR A MOVE TO BLACKBURN... AND CITY WON’T GIVE UP ON DONS’ STAR HAYES
CARDIFF City boss Neil Warnock is hoping the personal touch enables the Bluebirds to win a three-way battle for the services of Aberdeen flier Jonny Hayes.
Contrary to reports, Warnock has not yet given up on his bid to land Hayes, who is also wanted by Scottish giants Celtic and Harry Rednkapp’s Birmingham City.
And Warnock hopes telling Hayes he can become Cardiff’s main man next season will persuade the threetimes capped Ireland international to throw in his lot with the Bluebirds.
Hayes is the creative force Warnock has been seeking to give his side a greater cutting edge and goal threat in the final third of the pitch.
He believes the 29-year-old’s speed and guile can hand Cardiff a dimension they have been missing, aid Kenneth Zohore’s goal threat and help Cardiff cement a top six finish in their bid to reach the Premier League.
Warnock is prepared to play Hayes down either flank, but could also utilise him in the 10 role just behind Zohore and stick with Junior Hoilett and Kadeem Harris as his wingers.
Cardiff have tracked Hayes since January and, after seeing three bids rejected, finally met Aberdeen’s asking price of £1.2m.
They were confident of landing their man, only for Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers to suddenly enter the fray at the 11th hour and complicate the deal for Cardiff.
Rodgers is thought to have offered £1m, but also thrown in the carrot of swap players that Aberdeen want. One of them is 22-year-old midfielder Ryan Christie, who enjoyed a successful loan period at Pittodrie last season.
Cardiff officials are of the opinion Hayes wants to come to South Wales and drive Warnock’s men to the Premier League, particularly with the incentive of knowing the manager is ready to make him the star turn of the side.
His pace and willingness to take on defenders would quickly mark down Hayes as a fans’ favourite.
However, Aberdeen are said to prefer Celtic’s offer because they can bolster their own team with signings from Rodgers’ Scottish champions.
Celtic are locked in talks with Aberdeen, with one issue centering around whether Christie goes the other way on a permanent deal, or on a season’s loan.
Like Warnock, Rodgers is keen on Hayes after managing him at youth level with Reading and seeing his talent close up.
It seems Celtic have jumped ahead of Cardiff in the race for Hayes’ signature, but Warnock returns from a four-day break on Monday and remains hopeful he can still land his top summer target.
We understand a back-up plan has been put in place, with Warnock accepting a flying and creative wideman is a must if his team want to genuinely challenge at the top end of the Championship during 2017-18.
Hayes is very much his preferred choice, though, as Warnock looks to bolster his squad further following the captures of goalkeeper Neil Etheridge from Walsall, winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing from Rotherham and Scottish full-back Callum Paterson.
Birmingham boss Redknapp has also put Hayes high on his summer signing wish list, having been at Hampden to watch Aberdeen’s 2-1 Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic. Hayes grabbed the opening goal that day.