Cardiff City's January transfer planning is already well under way.
Friday 19th November 2021
It is understood the Bluebirds will look to add pace to the squad in the new year, with a loan or two from Premier League clubs looking a viable option for the back half of the campaign.
Steve Morison knows their is no money available at all but hopes to bring in one or two loan players this January.
Cardiff are glaringly devoid of any pace at the minute, with Wolves loanee Ryan Giles the clear exception to the rule in an otherwise one-paced squad.
Giles, though, looks set for a stint at left wing-back, with his parent club Wolves seeing him there long term and wanting him to play regularly in that position. Playing there also allows another instinctively attacking forward player on the pitch, too, which can only be a positive from a Cardiff perspective.
It means that City are now looking at ways to inject pace further up the pitch and will hope to address that in the January window.
With Kieffer Moore and James Collins, neither of whom are blessed with blistering pace, the two senior options as strikers, Cardiff could look to add a different type of forward in that department.
But it is on the wings where the Bluebirds could use a real lift in terms of speed.
Rubin Colwill, Leandro Bacuna, Mark Harris and Kieron Evans have been asked to occupy wing berths so far this season and while none of them are slouches by any stretch, a more naturally pacy wing option is certainly needed.
The shift towards Steve Morison's more aesthetically-pleasing style of football is also thought to lend itself to needing quicker players up the pitch, for getting in behind full backs or hitting teams with lightning-quick counter attacks.
STEVE MORISON:
"The recruitment team are in there working really hard and we've got ideas," Morison said this week. "But a lot is going to be dependent on what we do in this next six weeks before it opens.
"It's a key time, we have got 10 games in six weeks. We will be having conversations on it."
“I knew when I took the job, their is no money for transfers and I will be looking for some loan players to come in this January and maybe bring some of our loan players back.”
Morison wants to afford the players already in situ the opportunity to prove that the club do not need to bolster heavily in the January window.
Indeed, young Isaak Davies stuck his hand up and made a huge impact when he came on against Huddersfield Town last time out, showcasing his jet-heeled boots as he played key roles in both of Kieffer Moore's goals.
Davies is expected to feature more heavily between now and the opening of the January window and it is hoped his impact might lessen the need for additions.
But the club are working behind the scenes and getting their ducks in a row ready for the opening of the window and speed in the final third is certainly top of the list of priorities.
There are decisions to be made over a number of loan players. For example, Max Watters was recently described by one of his team-mates as "rapid" and has recently scored five goals in four games for MK Dons. The club need to weigh up whether bringing him back is the right option or if allowing him to complete a full season with the Dons would be more beneficial.
Josh Murphy is another out on loan and he is certainly not short of pace, but there is a growing sense that he has been afforded too many opportunities and has had a sticky start to his stint at Preston North End.
Short-term loans appear to be the most viable option. It is expected that big change is afoot next summer, when a number of big-name players are out of contract.
The decision to bring in one or two Premier League youngsters for the short term will, hopefully, have an immediate impact while not altering any longer-term vision Morison and the board have for the club.
STEVE MORISON:
"As a football club we all know where we want to go in terms of how we want this club to look going forward," Morison said.
"I'm sure you'll see that when it all starts coming together. It's short term at the minute. Really short-term goals; get to January and see where we are.
"It won't be a case of not being prepared if we do get the option [to do something in the window]. We are fully prepared and are aligned as a football club and a recruitment and a management and team."
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