Fleetwood asking too high a price for City target Lane
CARDIFF City have made enquiries about Fleetwood Town youngster Paddy Lane but are not actively pursuing a transfer, WalesOnline has been told.
Reports have stated that Cardiff and Hearts were interested in the 21-year-old Northern Ireland international, with West Ham having previously scouted the midfielder.
However, while Cardiff had taken an initial look at the player, it quickly became apparent Fleetwood’s demands far outweighed where Cardiff valued him.
Lane was named the League One player of the year last season, but given it is his first season at that level of football the asking price for his signature was thought to be inflated in the current market, so Cardiff won’t be pursuing further.
Cardiff City legend has come out of retirement at the age of 38 after six years out of the game.
The Bluebirds icon, who scored 63 goals in 159 games for the Welsh capital city club, last played for Indian side Kerala Blasters in 2016, but next season will make a return to the pitch with West Allotment Celtic FC.
The Northern League Division One side, who play in the ninth tier of English football, announced the capture of the ex-Sunderland, Newcastle United and Ipswich Town striker on social media on Monday night.
First, they teased the signing with a tweet simply saying, “What’s that coming over the hill...” a reference to The Automatic’s song ‘Monster’, in which Cardiff fans ended the aforementioned line of with “it’s Michael Chopra!”
Then, announcing the signing, they wrote: “Allotment are delighted to announce the signing of @MichaelChopra, former clubs of Newcastle United, Cardiff City, Blackpool FC, Ipswich Town to name a few.
“(Manager) Gary Somerville says: ‘He will bring great experience and professionalism to the team and lads as well as goals.’”
James Connolly has opened up on his move from Cardiff City to Bristol Rovers.
The centre-back enjoyed a stellar loan spell with the Gas last year, helping Joey Barton’s men clinch the unlikeliest promotions following an incredible second half of the season.
He returned to the Bluebirds ahead of pre-season but there always appeared to be a deal in the pipeline for him to move permanently back to the newly-promoted League One side and a deal was struck between the two teams last Friday.
And, speaking about the move, Connolly waxed lyrical about Rovers and is delighted to have made the move permanent.
“To be honest, I knew last season I wanted to come back,” he said. “There were technical bits that had to be sorted, but I knew I wanted to come back, even before we went up, and that was the cherry on top of the cake for me.”
The security of a three-year deal and the confidence Barton has placed in the former Blackburn Rovers prospect were hugely influential, with the 20-year-old sure he is in the best place to further his development after a breakthrough season.
“A few years here is what I wanted,” he said. “I think I said last season it’s the best club I’ve been at, and I mean it. It’s great here, I love it with all the lads, everything about it, and I wanted to get down here permanently and get a few years here.
“I think it’s the best for me and the best for my development.”
Oxford United boss Karl Robinson is pleased to capture Ciaron Brown and described him as a “low-risk signing” for the League One club.
The Northern Ireland international spent the second half of last season on loan with the U’s and the Oxfordshire club have decided to make the transfer permanent, picking him up on a free after his release from Cardiff.
And, speaking about the player’s arrival, Robinson said: “It’s still a low-risk signing, he’s a very good player and a tremendous human being.
“He can play left back, he can play left of a back three and left of a two in central defence. He’s a full international and he’s young for a defender.”
He played 13 games and scored once for Oxford last season.