Harris made call on Pat’s departure

BLUEBIRDS HIERARCHY INSIST BOSS IS FULLY ON BOARD WITH SCOTTISH STAR’S SALE

CALLUM Paterson is moving to Sheffield Wednesday with the full approval of Cardiff City boss Neil Harris, the Bluebirds hierarchy have made clear.

The Echo understands a £500,000 deal for fans’ favourite Paterson was agreed after Harris made it clear the Scot did not feature in his plans for the 2020-21 campaign.

Bluebirds bosses are thought to have been taken aback a little at Harris’ post-Reading remarks when he said the media ‘may know more than me’ about the transfer.

Harris also said: “I left Callum out of the squad today because I was informed that there might be an agreement between the clubs likely to happen. I am the manager of the football club and support the club in the decisions they make.”

However, it seems some supporters have interpreted Harris’ remarks, rightly or wrongly, as Cardiff selling Paterson against the manager’s wishes.

The Bluebirds have made it abundantly clear that is not the case and stress they never act without their manager making the decision on players.

Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman said last night: “We would never sell a single player without the manager telling us to sell him. He makes the decision.”

Paterson is a strong character and knows he will get more firstteam football at Sheffield Wednesday than he was being afforded by the Bluebirds this term. His prospects of game-time at Cardiff became more limited following the £2m capture of Kieffer Moore, who has quite rightly quickly become Harris’ striking kingpin.

Harris omitted Paterson entirely

Neil Harris

from his plans for the Reading game because a deal was close.

He also stated: “If Callum is moving on then we certainly need to replace him.

“We need to have strength in depth during the course of the season.”

Cardiff have targeted at least one more signing before the transfer window ends on Monday week. That is believed to be a winger, with owner Vincent Tan agreeing to free up funds. However, the Bluebirds also need a No.10 to back up Lee Tomlin, with Harris’ midfield lacking creativity in the home losses to Reading and Sheffield Wednesday.

Cardiff are just one of a number of clubs having to come to terms with the financial reality in football because of coronavirus, with no match-day income coming in.

Paterson became something of a cult figure during his three-year spell at Cardiff after Neil Warnock signed him from Scotland.

He arrived as a right-back, but was converted into more advanced positions, helped score the goals that fired the Bluebirds into the Premier League and played as firstchoice striker in the top flight.

Bluebirds analysis: Monday Sport