Eight aces Cardiff might be forced to let go next summer
CARDIFF City have eight players who will become free agents when this season ends.
The Bluebirds could be forced to let some big names leave unless they tie them down to new contracts before next summer’s transfer window begins.
Neil Warnock, who has insisted he has entered the final year of management, has some big decisions to make over whether some key players will remain at the club after their current deals end. Among the list of players whose contracts are up next year are a defensive stalwart, a burgeoning midfield talent and a firstteam striking duo.
Here is the full list of players whose deals are up when the current campaign finishes...
Sol Bamba
Has been injured all season following an awful injury to his knee back in March. But the Bluebirds have undoubtedly missed his leadership at the heart of defence this term and are counting down the days until he is back. At the end of the season, however, the Ivorian will be 35, so whether Warnock opts to offer him another short-term deal looks likely to hinge on the player’s personal circumstances.
Lee Peltier
Another dependable presence who has been a mainstay since moving from Huddersfield in 2015. The nailed-on right back in this Cardiff City squad and, at 32, it is likely the club will attempt to tie him down to a new deal as quickly as possible.
Matthew Connolly
A long-time servant of the club and provides much-needed defensive cover. He, too, has been out all season following ankle surgery before the campaign began. Much of his future appears to depend on whether the Bluebirds decide to add reinforcements in that area in January following the acquisition of Curtis Nelson from Oxford United this summer.
Jazz Richards
Has had rotten luck with injuries during his three-year stint at Cardiff City. He has missed 43 games through injury since arriving and is also yet to feature this season. Given the emergence of Cameron Coxe, the signing of Nelson, who can also play right back, and his injury record, Richards will be busting for a chance to impress when he returns in the coming weeks.
Aaron Bolger
The 19-year-old made his move to Cardiff permanent this summer following his short-term loan deal from Shamrock Rovers at the beginning of the year. However, without any official confirmation of how long the deal is, it has been reported he signed only a one-year contract at Cardiff City Stadium. Of course, he is likely to earn an extension given he has been signed for his huge potential. The midfielder is another who has fallen foul of injuries this term, having been sidelined for over a month so far this season.
Lee Tomlin
Just a few short weeks ago, who would have thought Lee Tomlin would still be a Cardiff City player? Yet he has been given his chance, largely owing to injuries and the departure of Bobby Reid, and has shown glimpses of just why fans have wanted to see him more regularly in recent years. Whether the mercurial playmaker is given an extension is anyone’s guess.
Danny Ward
The striker has been out of action since the start of the season with an Achilles problem and given the dearth of goals scored by the Bluebirds’ front line so far this term, two in seven games, it looks like they need him back quickly. With Gary Madine seemingly out of favour and Robert Glatzel the clear first choice, Ward will be battling out to be the German’s understudy to earn a new deal.
Omar Bogle
Another striker who has a lot to prove this term. Bogle is also in fierce competition for that second striker spot, however he is just one of two strikers to hit the back of the net this term. He offers much dynamism up front, but having already been shipped out on loan three times in two years, it feels like a make-or-break season for the 26-year-old.