DEAL... OR NO DEAL?

ANY BLUEBIRDS BUSINESS IN JANUARY WINDOW IS UP TO CURRENT CROP OF CITY PLAYERS, SAYS MORISON

STEVE Morison says it is up to Cardiff City’s current crop of players to prove the Bluebirds do not need to take action in the January transfer window.

Cardiff have slashed their transfer budget in recent times, with the club almost exclusively dealing in free transfers or loan players, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight when it comes to the tightening of the purse strings.

Morison did not completely rule out some January action, but added that it was down to the players to prove that reinforcements do not need to be made in the new year.

“We haven’t really spoken about the January window and it is something we do have to address,” Morison said.

“The recruitment team are in there working really hard and we’ve got ideas. But a lot is going to be dependent on what we do in this next six weeks before it opens.

“It’s a key time, we have got 10 games in six weeks.

“We will be having conversations on it. As a football club we all know where we want to go in terms of how we want this club to look going forward.

“I’m sure you’ll see that when it all starts coming together. It’s short term at the minute. Really short-term goals; get to January and see where we are.

“It won’t be a case of not being prepared if we do get the option [to do something in the window]. We are fully prepared and are aligned as a football club and a recruitment and a management and team.”

One cost-effective way of bolstering the squad, of course, is to recall players who are flourishing out on loan.

Ryan Wintle is certainly one of those. He has earned his fair share of admirers up at Blackpool after it seemed like he would not get a lookin in the Welsh capital.

But Morison believes that, unless he is going to play week-in, weekout for the Bluebirds, the experience he will gain up at Bloomfield Road will be far more valuable than warming the bench at Cardiff City Stadium.

“They can all come back in January,” Morison said of his four players out on loan.

“It has to be right for everyone. If Ryan Wintle is someone who is going to come back and play then there is an option for that.

“If he’s not going to play every week, from a football club point of view, him staying there and having 44 or 46 games under his belt for Blackpool, when he comes back at the start of next season he is worth so much more to us.

“He has come in with no Championship experience and then you’re getting an experienced Championship midfielder who is like a new signing. It’s weighing up the pros and cons.”

Another player who is really beginning to catch the eye is Max Watters, the striker who is out on loan at MK Dons.

The 22-year-old started slowly owing to an injury he picked up in pre-season, but is on the fire at the minute, having recently notched five goals in four games for the Dons.

And. while Morison still believes there is a gulf between League One and the Championship, it seems the manager will be keeping a close eye on the forward’s progress as we head towards the opening of the winter window.

“I went to watch Max on Saturday, for MK Dons against Cambridge,” Morison added.

“He was excellent. But again, he has had a good little run of games, so let’s keep monitoring him to see how he does over the period.

“It’s still a jump from being in a topsix League One team in MK Dons to a current bottom-half Championship team in us, who have huge expectations and the pressure goes right through the roof.”