GUNNARS: ‘I’LL STAY’
PLUS SEVEN SIGN NEW DEALS, AND TAN WIPES £66M FROM DEBT
CARDIFF City have revealed seven players have signed new deals with the Premier League club.
And it’s also been confirmed that midfielder Aron Gunnarsson has verbally committed his future to Cardiff City.
In an unprecedented announcement, the Bluebirds delivered the news after weeks of behind the scenes negotiating conducted by manager Neil Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo.
It is unheard of for so many players to put pen to paper in one fell swoop.
Aron Gunnarsson, the Iceland World Cup captain, has verbally agreed to stay with Cardiff for another year despite interest from elsewhere, although a deal has not yet been signed given that he remains on holiday following his exploits in Russia.
In addition to Cardiff’s midfield warrior, reserve goalkeeper Brian Murphy was also out of contract this summer, but he has accepted the offer of a new one-year deal.
The six players who have signed new contract extensions are skipper Sean Morrison, midfielders Joe Ralls and Callum Paterson, wide-man Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, rightback Lee Peltier and experienced centre-half Matt Connolly.
Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan has sanctioned the finances for the improved terms packages and Choo has been burning the midnight oil behind the scenes to negotiate with the players and their agents.
Cardiff are delighted to have agreed the contracts well before the new Premier League season begins, meaning Warnock doesn’t have any uncertainty hanging over his squad.
Speaking to Cardiff City TV on Friday afternoon, Warnock said: “We’ve worked really hard this week to get a number of the lads’ contracts tied down ahead of the new season.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to do this and I thank Tan Sri Vincent, Mehmet and Ken for their support throughout the summer as well: we’ve done brilliantly.
“Aron [Gunnarsson] wanted to repay the Club, and Vincent, for the support he’s had here over the past seven years.
“He wants to help us try and stay in the Premier League, and I think that’s great.
“We had a chat six weeks ago [ahead of the World Cup] and he told me he wanted to stay; now we’re looking forward to him coming back in to the group.”
Contract extensions for Neil Etheridge and Joe Bennett had already been announced in recent days, while Junior Hoilett and centrebacks Sol Bamba and Bruno Manga had also previously committed to the club.
Skipper Morrison still had two years left to run on his Cardiff contract, but the club have rewarded him for outstanding form in the promotion year with a new deal that will keep him in South Wales until 2022.
Ralls, who has become a midfield kingpin under Warnock, has also been given an improved four year contract.
The news means Warnock has a settled and happy squad heading towards the big Premier League kick-off away to Bournemouth on August 11.
Executive director & CEO, Ken Choo, said: “As the 2018/19 season draws closer, we’re delighted to see a number of our key players agree to extended contracts.
“We have been keen to reward the huge effort that the squad put in last season, while it’s also fantastic for the Club to secure the futures of several key players here at Cardiff City.
“Following on from this morning’s statement, once again we’d like to thank Tan Sri Vincent Tan for his support and commitment, as we continue to put everything in place for the Premier League.”
Warnock has also captured four new signings for the tilt at the top flight and they are training with their new team-mates for the first time.
Forward players Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid have come for £10m each, left-back Greg Cunningham for £3.5m and goalkeeper Alex Smithies from Queens Park Rangers.
Warnock is trying to re-sign Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic on a season’s loan and continues to chase at least one other leading player. New Cardiff City contracts (date contracted until in brackets) Joe Ralls (2022) Callum Paterson (2022) Sean Morrison (2022) Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (2021) Lee Peltier (2020) Matthew Connolly (2020) Brian Murphy (2019)