IS ZOHORE ON THE WAY TO HULL?
TIGERS PLOTTING BIG-MONEY BID FOR ACE ZOHORE
CARDIFF City’s new Championship rivals Hull City are considering a move for star striker Kenneth Zohore.
The Danish Under-21 international is understood to be high on their list of targets this summer as they look to bounce straight back to the Premier League following relegation.
The Tigers know it would take a big fee to convince Cardiff to part with their prized asset, with the Bluebirds seemingly determined to fend off interest in the player.
Manager Neil Warnock has made no secret about the importance of Zohore to his own plans of mounting a promotion bid, although he has previously admitted it would be impossible for the club to turn down a huge fee for any of their players.
Hull’s interest is not said to be at the stage of tabling a formal bid yet, but there is plenty of money to spend following the £17m sale of Harry Maguire to Leicester City. They also have the benefit of significant Premier League parachute payments.
Zohore only signed a contract extension at the end of April, with an improved deal tying him to the club until 2020.
The 23-year-old scored 12 times for the Bluebirds last season, 11 of which came in the final 17 matches of the campaign.
Asked about potential interest in Zohore, Warnock previously said: “If I’m to have any chance next season, he won’t be going anywhere.
“You can never say never – if someone came in £20m you can’t say no and I’d even sell Sol Bamba for that who has been just as important.
“But I’m not under pressure (to sell).”
Finding new clubs for those surplus to requirements
Warnock’s made no secret of his desire to shake up the squad, and the arrival of five new signings certainly has Cardiff supporters excited about what the new season may offer.
But it’s all a balancing act for the Bluebirds boss. There are certain players he wants to move on, including Craig Noone, Rickie Lambert and Declan John, and he must find new clubs for the unwanted trio — both for the benefit of the Cardiff wage bill and the squad size. Warnock requires depth but an overly-bloated squad doesn’t help anyone, as we’ve seen at Cardiff City Stadium in the past. If Warnock wants to maintain a happy, harmonious squad, he must relocate these out-of-sorts stars before the campaign begins. The biggest issue may actually be Lambert and his sizeable wages, which are unlikely to be met despite reported interest from Plymouth. The 35-year-old could prove a very expensive reserve striker if Cardiff can’t find a summer suitor.
The extension of Bruno Manga’s contract was undoubtedly a Warnock masterstroke. He cajoled the Gabon international into staying at Cardiff on a reduced wage and Manga will now surely form part of the Bluebirds’ defence. Yet that could mean permanently shifting to a three-man back line with Manga alongside last season’s rocks, Sol Bamba and captain Sean Morrison. It’s certainly a situation Warnock will look to clarify in pre-season.
Work out which system Cardiff will play
Morrison has been subject to a £3million bid from Sheffield Wednesday, but Cardiff maintain they’re not in the business of selling their skipper. With an embarrassment of riches in the full-back department too,
following the signing of Callum Paterson, Warnock might find a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation is the ideal fit for his players with Kenneth Zohore the focal point. However, Warnock wants options when it comes to formations; he may switch from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 and back again, he may introduce a 4-5-1 when defending a lead. Such versatility and adaptability will have to be drilled into the players on the training pitch, making these preseason weeks even more vital.
Signing a central midfielder
This is the one Cardiff fans want to see actioned. Because if you include out-of-contract midfielder Tom Adeyemi — who has joined Ipswich Town along with Emyr Huws — the Bluebirds have let three central midfielders leave this summer, the other being Blackburn bound stalwart of 10 years Peter Whittingham.
The need for Warnock to introduce a midfield general is now bordering on the urgent. They cannot rely on Aron Gunnarsson and Joe Ralls, with only Greg Halford and Stuart O’Keefe as back-up. They must inject creativity and class into the midfield.
Which is why impatient fans will be calling for Warnock to pluck something out of the air. Neither Joe Ledley nor Charlie Adam appear to be on the Bluebirds’ radar.
The wait goes on, and Cardiff will be looking pretty thin in midfield if they cannot alter the current status quo.
Keep an eye on Saadi and Gounongbe
Both Idriss Saadi and Frederic Gounongbe have received the classic Neil Warnock ultimatum: prove yourself, lads, or you’re not in my plans. It was a clarion call to the strike duo similar to the now famous pep talk issued to Zohore against Wolves. The only difference for Saadi and Gounongbe is that they will have a little longer to make an impression, though the games are not competitive and the opposition not quite so illustrious.
Gounongbe floundered in his debut season and now approaches a career crossroads. After missing a sitter from five yards on his Bluebirds’ bow, things just haven’t happened for the Benin international, but he will at least get a second — albeit last — chance to impress. Saadi meanwhile returns to South Wales amid genuine excitement about his potential. The 25-year-old scored goals galore on loan with KV Kortrijk last season and deserves his chance to push Danny Ward and Zohore for a place up front. Warnock will be watching.
Decide what the future holds for others
We’re yet to discover the future of players like Anthony Pilkington, Stuart O’Keefe and Matty Kennedy. The latter two went on loan from January until the end of the season and proved their worth. O’Keefe was a solid temporary acquisition for League One MK Dons while Kennedy lived up to Warnock’s promise that he’d “tear up League Two” at Home Park.
Both should now get a few weeks to stamp their authority in Cardiff City pre-season and you’d think O’Keefe will be used in midfield with other options scarce.
But Pilkington’s Bluebirds career has ground to a halt, despite his obvious talents. Warnock must use these weeks wisely: either he inspires Pilkington — who has a year remaining on his contract — or he exploits the Irish international’s value in the transfer market by triggering a sale.
It will be one of many big decisions for Warnock to make over the next few weeks.