Clock ticking as Bluebirds aim to add firepower
The end of a manic January is almost upon us. We are just a few hours away from the transfer window closing, which will bring down the curtain on one of the most chaotic months Cardiff City have seen in some time.
Sabri Lamouchi will take charge of his first match as Cardiff manager this evening, the third manager the Bluebirds have had this month. Mark Hudson started 2023 as boss before Dean Whitehead was in the dugout for two matches on a caretaker basis.
But when Lamouchi strides out at Kenilworth Road, Cardiff will hope to have made some strides in the transfer market.
City’s hands were tied at the start of the month because of a transfer embargo which took more than a fortnight to clear. Vincent Tan managed to find £7 million to pay Nantes the first instalment of the transfer fee for Emiliano Sala and subsequently Cardiff were able to recall Mark McGuinness from his loan at Sheffield Wednesday.
Despite Whitehead claiming City were close to bringing in a striker following the defeat by Millwall just over a week ago, that statement appears to have been a little premature.
Fear not, though, because Cardiff are most certainly in the market for a striker before tonight’s 11pm deadline. In fact, we understand they are looking at bringing in two additions at the top of the pitch if all goes smoothly.
Left-back is also a position under consideration. Niels Nkounkou was recalled by Everton before being immediately loaned back out to St Etienne, while Joel Bagan looks short of both confidence and game-time in the outings we have seen so far this season.
Callum O’Dowda is thriving in that role, though there is a school of thought that Cardiff’s attack is weakened with the Republic of Ireland international operating that far away from the opposition goal.
Three additions would be ideal, but Lamouchi lowered expectations on Friday when he suggested he might be in store for “one or two good surprises”.
As for outgoings, it’s unlikely we will see many more leave. James Crole, Ollie Tanner and Max Watters have all departed on loan, while Curtis Nelson’s contract was terminated so he could join relegation rivals Blackpool on a free transfer.
Cardiff are keen for right-back Vontae Campbell to get some loan experience as he is too far down the pecking order at the moment. Whether a club comes in for him in with a serious proposition within the final hours of the window remains to be seen.
Some more under-21s might head out for loan stints if the right clubs come in, too.
The Bluebirds are operating within the free agent and loan markets because of the ban placed on them by the EFL which stipulates they cannot pay any fees for players right now.
The club have maintained the stance that it should not prove overly prohibitive in their bid to sign loan players. However, we are close to the finish line and there are no strikers in the building.
We wrote last week that Cardiff had a week to save their season. Firstly, they needed the right managerial appointment. Well, the arrival of Lamouchi has been met with approval, so consider that box ticked.
Secondly, they needed more goals in the squad. They needed better options up front to solve that glaring on-field issue. That box remains blank right now.
Come 11pm, they want a big tick in there, too.