Striker light... so what about these options as Morison steps up search for front man?
CARDIFF’ City’s summer supermarket sweep has paid dividends and the squad has a far more balanced, competitive feel to it.
This has been reflected in impressive pre-season performances and hopes are high for the new season. There is still work to be done in the remainder of the transfer window though, as Cardiff currently look light in attack. Even more so since James Collins recently left for Derby.
With Isaak Davies currently sidelined, Mark Harris and Max Watters are the only fit first-team strikers and a couple more of a suitable standard are required. Finding and acquiring them will be easier said than done though.
Forwards are the most sought after, highly valued commodity in the game, so for a club without funds for transfer fees and a limited wage budget, it has been and will continue to be a challenge.
The following are a few interesting options worth considering by Steve Morison.
Josh Maja
Already linked with Cardiff, Josh Maja would be the golden ticket. The 23-year-old Nigerian international made a name for himself at Sunderland before joining Bordeaux in January 2019, ahead of his contract expiring the following summer. He agreed a deal through to 2023, but has since been loaned out to Fulham and Stoke.
Maja is now available due to Bordeaux’s double relegation to the French third tier. Having dropped in to the second tier at the end of last season, they were then demoted to the third division due to financial irregularities and now have to shed a lot of their players as a result.
Championship, Serie A and MLS clubs have expressed an interested, but Maja is reportedly set on a return to the UK, while Bordeaux favour a permanent move over another loan. They may seek some return on their investment, but their hands may be tied in that regard and there is certainly a deal to be struck.
His wages may be at the top end of Cardiff’s budget, but not necessarily prohibitive. In terms of what he would offer, he’s quick, strong and has an eye for goal. Cardiff do not tend to sign from abroad, but Maja is sure to be on their radar and he would represent a statement signing.
Lewis Grabban
Grabban has always been a marmite player. He has that cocky, laid back vibe that seems to divide supporters, but his goal scoring record is not to be sniffed at. With 55 goals in 147 games for Nottingham Forest, he has a goal at least every three games, which Cardiff could certainly do with. Not only that, he has often been a scorer of important goals too, helping Forest to a long-overdue promotion last season.
Grabban actually turned down a new contract at Forest over the summer and is a free agent. A high earner, he may prove rather pricey for Cardiff, but now 34, he will not be able to command the sort of wages he agreed when he joined Forest in 2018. On the lookout for his 14th club, Grabban will surely be looking for a challenge and propelling a relatively young, inexperienced Cardiff side up the table could fit the bill.
Nakhi Wells
Another player that has been linked with Cardiff in the past is Bristol City’s Nakhi Wells. The 32-year-old Bermudan international is in the final year of his current contract and it has been reported that Bristol would allow him to leave on a free transfer in order to shed his £1.2m salary. Having signed him for £5m in January 2021, that would represent quite the financial hit, but their finances appear to be in a perilous state and their hands may well be tied.
Another player that has bounced around a fair bit, Wells has a year left on his contract and offered a timely reminder of his talents on Saturday, when he scored the only goal in a friendly win at Plymouth. Wells is quick, knows where the back of the net is and Cardiff have a habit of nabbing Bristol City players, so this
may be one to keep an eye on. Danny Loader
Another Brit abroad, Danny Loader, is currently learning his trade at European giants FC Porto. The 21-year-old striker was considered quite the prospect when he left Reading as a free agent a couple of years ago and he has yet to make a breakthrough to the senior side there. The bar is very high and it remains to be seen if Loader has what it takes to become a regular. Like Wells, Loader also scored at the weekend in a 2-1 friendly win, but opportunities may once again prove rather scarce and a loan spell may be on the cards.
Out of sight and out of mind, as players sometimes tend to be when they move overseas, Loader could be an option worth pursuing.
Andy Carroll
One of those players that you always imagined joining Cardiff eventually, especially post-Kieffer Moore. If you can keep him fit, he remains a potent weapon and the 33-year-old is now a free agent, since leaving West Brom.
A proposed move to Belgian champions Club Brugge, which would have finally given him the chance to play in the Champions League, also recently broke down. Having played at Reading for a paltry £1,000-a-week, Carroll is clearly more motivated by playing than money at this stage of his career.
The fitness issues that have plagued his career remain an issue, but a fit and firing Carroll is still unplayable in the Championship.
With nine England caps, and spells at Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle, he would certainly bring experience.