' The best and worst business in Cardiff City's last 5 '

The best and worst business in Cardiff City's last five summer transfer windows - Wales Online


By Ian Mitchelmore

Wednesday 17th May 2017

Neil Warnock will look to strengthen his Cardiff City squad in the coming months as he hopes to bolster his side's chances of securing promotion into the promised land of the Premier League next season.

The Yorkshireman has repeatedly stressed his desire to add to his squad as early as possible in the upcoming summer transfer window to give his squad the best possible opportunity of settling in at Cardiff City Stadium ahead of the 2017-18 Championship campaign.

But how have the Bluebirds fared in recent summer transfer windows?

Here we take a look at the best and worst signings made by the club over the last five summer markets...




2016

Best: Kenneth Zohore

For many weeks and months this would have seemed like a ridiculous statement, but given the Dane's stunning form in the latter half of the campaign, Zohore can easily take the gong of being Cardiff's best signing of the summer having moved to south Wales from KV Kortrijk on a permanent basis after an initial loan spell.

The striker netted 12 times after Christmas having failed to score a single goal in seven appearances before his debut strike against Brentford on Boxing Day.

He was rewarded with a new contract ahead of Cardiff's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle and celebrated with a goal and two assists in the Bluebirds' 3-0 win at Huddersfield on the final day of the campaign.





Worst: Frederic Gounongbe

No goals in 12 appearances and an absolute howler of a miss in the opening day draw at Birmingham pretty much sum up Frederic Gounongbe's miserable debut campaign in the Welsh capital.

The 29-year-old Frenchman joined Cardiff on a free transfer after his contract with Belgian outfit Westerlo had expired.

But given Zohore's emergence as Cardiff's main frontman as well as Warnock's desire to add to his attacking options in the summer, the writing could well be on the wall for Gounongbe.




2015

Best: Idriss Saadi

It was hardly the most active of summers at Cardiff who made just three signings, one of which was Idriss Saadi from French club Clermont.

The Frenchman featured just twice for the Bluebirds in an injury-hit debut season before being shipped out on loan to Belgian side Kortrijk.

The 25-year-old has been in stunning form for the Belgian club, netting 14 goals in 33 league appearances this season, prompting calls from some supporters for the young forward to be re-introduced into the reckoning at Cardiff in the near future.

Fans have had to wait, but it could yet turn out to be a great bit of business.





Worst: Gabriel Tamas

Tamas made just one appearance for the Bluebirds, playing 90 minutes in the 1-0 home defeat to Shrewsbury Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

And that's pretty much where it ends.

The Romanian never managed to make a lasting impression Britain having had disappointing stints with the likes of Watford, Doncaster and West Brom prior to moving to south Wales.





2014

Best: Bruno Manga

The centre-back's future at the club remains uncertain as Neil Warnock recently revealed that he will meet the Gabon international in June to discuss a new deal.

But it's safe to say the defender has become a firm favourite with the fans since joining Cardiff from French outfit Lorient in 2014.

Having missed the majority of the second half of the 2016-17 campaign through the injury he suffered while on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, Sol Bamba took centre stage as the Bluebirds secured a top half finish in the Championship.

But Manga's late return to the side whetted the appetite once again for what could well prove to be the making of a great partnership at the heart of the Cardiff defence if Manga decides to remain with the club beyond the summer.

Bruno Manga challenges Shaun MacDonald (Photo: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Worst: Guido Burgstaller

The promise was there, but it simply didn't work out for striker Guido Burgstaller at Cardiff City.

The Austrian scored once in just five appearances for Cardiff before moving to Germany to join Nuremburg.

And the forward has hit the goal trail this season, netting a remarkable 26 goals in 42 appearances for Nuremburg and Schalke - who he joined in January - to silence any critics.

His time in Wales was a disaster - as a recent interview proved - but there's no doubting that Cardiff were on to something when they secured the services of Burgstaller, but for one reason or another, it just didn't work out.





2013

Best: Gary Medel

Armed with a bumper war-chest to bolster his side's chances of securing Premier League survival, Malky Mackay signed Gary Medel from Sevilla for a club record fee of £11m.

Although his Cardiff career spanned just one season, the Chilean defender made a huge impression in south Wales, playing 35 times for the club before joining Serie A giants Inter Milan following the club's relegation from the top tier of English football.

The Bluebirds recouped the majority of the fee they forked out to sign Medel, and the Chilean has gone on to enjoy great success since leaving Wales having won back-to-back Copa America titles.







Worst: Andreas Cornelius

£8m. 11 appearances. 0 goals.

As signing go, they don't get much worse for the Bluebirds in their entire history, never mind the last five seasons.

The Danish striker was just 20 years of age when he signed from Copenhagen but lasted little more than six months in the Welsh capital before returning to his former club.

Cornelius joined Serie A side Atalanta earlier this month for a fee believed to be around €3.5m.

Andreas Cornelius has signed for Atalanta
2012





Best: Craig Bellamy

Having previously enjoyed a loan spell with his hometown club, Bellamy made the move back to Cardiff permanent in August 2012 on a free transfer from Liverpool.

He scored four times as the Bluebirds secured promotion into the Premier League before deciding to hang up his boots at the end of the 2013-14 season.

Now in a coaching role with the club's academy, the future is certainly looking bright for the Bluebirds with Bellamy involved.

South Korean international Kim Bo-kyung made the switch from Cerezo Osaka to Cardiff for a reported fee of around £2.5m, a hefty sum for such an unknown quantity.

And the attacker never managed to justify his price tag and left Wales in February 2015 having scored just three goals in 64 appearances for Cardiff.

Far from the club's worst ever signing, but not a man Cardiff fans will be singing about in years to come.

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I would add Warnock to the "best" list. Can't be sure, but we may have been in league 1 next season without him.

Without doubt the worst business of the 2016 summer transfer window was to sell David Marshall at the end of the window then waste that money on Rickity Lambert. More money just pissed to the wind.

That's an awful article, how can Saadi be our best signing of last season when he played just as many games as our worst signing? Lex Immers loan signing would be the best by a long way. (Just realised it was summer transfer window, my bad)
And KBK was a great signing for us in the promotion season, yet he's our worst signing. Considering we signed Velikonja that summer, I'd go as far as to say this reporter doesn't follow city too much.

That's an awful article, how can Saadi be our best signing of last season when he played just as many games as our worst signing? Lex Immers loan signing would be the best by a long way. (Just realised it was summer transfer window, my bad)
And KBK was a great signing for us in the promotion season, yet he's our worst signing. Considering we signed Velikonja that summer, I'd go as far as to say this reporter doesn't follow city too much.

one in a long line of very poor articles or blogs that find their way on here. how can your best bit of business be signing someone that played 20 mins for the club ?

Without doubt the worst business of the 2016 summer transfer window was to sell David Marshall at the end of the window then waste that money on Rickity Lambert. More money just pissed to the wind.

Totally agree, although I would go even further and say ever in the history of our club.

Without doubt the worst business of the 2016 summer transfer window was to sell David Marshall at the end of the window then waste that money on Rickity Lambert. More money just pissed to the wind.

Gary Spot on.

Without doubt the worst business of the 2016 summer transfer window was to sell David Marshall at the end of the window then waste that money on Rickity Lambert. More money just pissed to the wind.

Makes you wonder though as Reading got to Wembley last night thanks to 35 year old YANN KERMORGANT. It is so annoying that other teams can find players of that age who can make a significant contribution when we consistently find those looking for a £25kpw rehabilitation home.

That's an awful article, how can Saadi be our best signing of last season when he played just as many games as our worst signing? Lex Immers loan signing would be the best by a long way. (Just realised it was summer transfer window, my bad)
And KBK was a great signing for us in the promotion season, yet he's our worst signing. Considering we signed Velikonja that summer, I'd go as far as to say this reporter doesn't follow city too much.

This is exactly right, what a load of shite! KBK was one of our BEST signings and we may not have been promoted without his and Mutch's performances, particularly in the latter stages of the season.

Yesterday that article had Frazier Campbell as our best summer signing of 2012. They've changed it, probably cos he signed in January