McCormack move to Leeds completed

Scotland international striker Ross McCormack has joined Leeds United for an undisclosed sum from Cardiff City with the deal completed at lunchtime.

Rumours has it that he left for just £300k, a healthy profit on the £100k paid to Motherwell when Cardiff signed him but a far cry from the £4M bid turned down from Hull this time last year.

However Ross' star has waned with off field self inflicted problems affecting his football and he found himself completely out of contention this season so better to lose his £8k a week wage than keep him. I'm sure City will have a suitable sell on clause for a player very capable of settling down and rediscovering the football that electrified City and Scottish fooball fans - good luck to him!

In just over 2 seasons with Cardiff, he netted 33 goals from 88 appearances, including two goals from three sub appearances so far this season but his second season was nowhere near the standards he showed in his first year.

He shoots, he scores, he leaves - bye bye Klimpl

After scoring a late Cardiff City winner in last night's Portuguese pre-season friendly, Slovakian international was told that his trial period was over and that he would not be offered a contract by The Bluebirds.

Klimpl, a big lump of a player, has spent his entire career as a centre half but was switched, with some success, into midfield by Motherwell last term and came to Cardiff on that basis. 45 minutes of watching him in last Friday's friendly against Chasetown confirmed to me that he was exactly as described on the label - a centre half and no midfielder.

Dave Jones wished to have another look and came to the same conclusion revealing his opinion that he unfortunately was no improvement on current personnel in those positions.

SPL side Hearts have also dropped their interest and it is believed Klimpl may now trial at Plymouth who are interested in his services and were disappointed when he opted to link with City.

Gimme 5 as Quinn's In for City

After a week in which Motherwell sources confirmed they had accepted a £300k from Cardiff City but the Bluebirds denied it at first then went cool, Paul Quinn was confirmed as the club's 5th signing of the week this lunchtime.

As he is a right back, it looks certain that Kevin McNaughton will revert to left back this season, a position he prefers and where many supporters like to see him too. The latest capture means City have their defensive unit sorted with new keeper David Marshall and Peter Enckleman vying for the goalkeeper jersey, Quinn and McNaughton as first choice defenders and Gyepes, Gerrard and Hudson in for the centre-half spots. Cardiff have other options too in the form of promising young pro Adam Matthews, the old head that is Mark Kennedy plus Darcy Blake and Tony Capaldi. However it seemes certain that the club will be looking to sell or loan a couple of those.

Dave Jones ideally needs at least two new faces in midfield and up front to bolster numbers for the coming season. Maros Klimpl, currently on trial, may sign on a free shortly and although a centre-half most of his career, the player proved a success for Motherwell pushed in central mid last season.

However Cardiff City's midfield was the weakest area of the team last season and it is a concern that this has not really been addressed. There's still time.

Quinn ready to be next Cardiff City signing

With David Marshall, Michael Chopra, Mark Hudson and Anthony Gerrard signed this week, Motherwell defender PAUL QUINN looks set to be Cardiff City's 5th signing of the week.

News broke last Sunday that SPL side Motherwell had accepted a £300k bid from The Bluebirds but Cardiff kept a low profile intimating they needed to move defenders out before signing more but it appears they would to wrap up the deal before movement out of the club.

Quinn was absent from the Motherwell squad tonight who had a shock 1-0 crash at home to Llanelli (featuring ex-City men 40 year old Andy Legg, Lee Jarman, Lee Phillips and co)

Slovakian trialist set for City

With a deal for Mark Hudson in the bag, Cardiff City tonight stand on the verge of possibly getting a second centre half with Maros Klimpa set to join the Bluebirds, initially on a trial basis.

The 28 year old impressed in 20 games on loan to SPL side Motherwell and had been tipped to join Aberdeen where his Motherwell boss Mark McGhee now resides. However it appears Cardiff may be winning a battle to get him as the player buys his way out of his contract with Danish outfit FC Midtjylland to spend a week with City after apparently previously agreeing to do likewise with Championship rivals Plymouth Argyle.

I know little about him expect he played against Wales last year in a friendly and had the proverbial 'mare as Wales stuffed his country 5-2 ina friendly. No wonder we want to take a look first.

Motherwell accept Cardiff City bid for Quinn

Although there is no official statement form either club, it is being reported this evening that SPL club Motherwell have accepted a £300,000 bid from Cardiff City for their captain and right back Paul Quinn (a link first reported on this blog on Friday).

Quinn set for Bluebirds??

It is being reported North of the Border that Cardiff City have made a £300,000 bid for Motherwell's right back and captain Paul Quinn which looks set to be accepted. The news has been leaked by a Motherwell insider, possibly an attempt, to see if any better bids arrive, the only other to date being a £100,000 offer by Hearts.

Quinn, 23, has started 150 SPL for Motherwell when he has been since a junior. 38 of those games came last season, 2 ending early with red cards. Quinn is an ex-team mate of Ross McCormack and would certainly feel at home in Cardiff with Cardiff 's squad already containing 5 Scotsmen ... and there's every chance 1 or 2 more will be added before August.

If the bid is successful, suspicions are that Kevin McNaughton would switch to his preferred left back side making an already surplus to requirements Tony Capaldi surely facing the exit door.

Player links to Cardiff City hot up

With Roger Johnson gone, more players set to go and 7 new faces promised, paper talk is hotting up. Here's a quick round up of the latest mutterings for what it's worth since newspaper gossip very rarely equals reality.


OUTGOING
Rumours are circulating that left back Tony Capaldi with link with his ex-Plymouth boss Ian Holloway at Blackpool if they can find the package to match his handsome City package. Holloway briefly tried to take him for Leciester City when he was their manager too.

Premiership suitors are playing a waiting game for Joe Ledley, obviously hoping to get him for a last minute cut price deal after City declined £6M bids for him in January and now find they have a player who can leave for nothing out of contract next season. Arsenal, who have watched him many times, are being linked to him but there's a queue including Spurs, Everton, Stoke, West Ham who have expressed interest but have done nothing to date.

Dave Jones is also willing to offload Paul Parry, Miguel Comminges, Warren Feeney (forgot we still had him after his 2 seasons in Scotland but Norwich are rumoured to be in for him) and maybe Peter Whittingham too while they are willing to listen t offersd for Ross McCormack to raise more funds even though he is set to sign an extended deal.

THOSE LINKED TO CITY
An ever lengthening list includes defenders Paul Quinn (Motherwell), Damien Delaney of QPR who we are rumoured to be competing with Ipswich at around £1M package deal (a price that would seem to rule out any move by City) and another QPR man in Latvian defender Kaspar Gorkss. Another paper link is Millwall defender Zak Whitbread.


With two centre halves required, the names mentioned in dispatches to date are ex-City man James Collins (I don't see him dropping out of the Premiership), a loan move for Manchester United's promising Craig Cathcart who spent time last season at Plymouth and Birmingham City's Liam Ridgewell whose place there is in jeorpardy with the arrival of three new centre halves including Roger Johnson of course.


Cardiff City's midfield engine room has misfired and lack goals for a couple of years and, to me, seem an important area of the side to get right. Links so far are uninspriring. Misfit Liam Miller, a player of talent but who throws it away with poor attitude, is linked but if he wasn't afraid of Roy Keane at Sunderland (who threw him out of the club after continally being late), what chance has Dave Jones got with the 27 year old? Others have been mentioned in dispatches, all with unremarkable goal contributions to the cause. Mayeb it's just me but I thought Charlton's Nicky Bailey or Chinese midfielder could do tremendous jobs for us.


Up front, it's hard to remember Michael Chopra becomes a permanent signing next week for £4M from Sunderland. Fans hold their breath he can rediscover his form, fitness and goals which were all missing in his end of last season loan with us. Eddie Johnson has returned, Ross McCormack appears set to stay but another forward is needed regardless yet the only name linked to date, Motherwell's Dave Clarkson, appears to be on his way Bristol City with Cardiff reportedly declining to follow up initial interest as his price tag has increased to circa £750,000.


More of this silliness over the next few days but, hopefully, we will finally see activity in Cardiff's Arrivals Lounge.

Porter joins Derby, City have alternatives lined up but late Ledley interest?

It appears that Chris Porter has opted to join Derby County over Cardiff City and completed a move to the middling Championship club yesterday.

Got to admit not knowing anything about the player so while I don't think he's made the best decision, it's hardly a loss if Cardiff didn't get him.

Meanwhile, Cardiff are believed to be close to bringing in two other strikers instead, possibly via the loan market and one touted as being from overseas - let's hope they're not bringing back Iwan Redan or Luigi Glombardi then!!!

One other story to watch - Newcastle United are rumoured to be making late enquiries for Joe Ledley. They have lost bad boy Joey Barton for the season to injury while N'Zogbia has vowed never to play for them again to force a move out of the club creating a crisis but they have responded by signing Kevin Nolan from Bolton for £4.2M and are getting Scott Taylor form Wigan so hopefully they have covered their bases.

City are at home later to Nottingham Forest.


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'Well boss to Porter - Join The City!

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee will be speaking to striker Chris Porter after his U-Turn and urge him to sign for Cardiff City before the opportunity passes. McGhee also believes the player is being badly advised by his agent but there are some suuggestions he would prefer to joimn Derby County - muppet!

Read this story for more:

Ninian is the right place for Porter – McGhee

Porter given 24 hours by City

It's ni sirprise to lean Chris Porter stalled on his move to Cardiff City due to the influence of agents. The player apparently advised he may get a better summer deal when out of contract.

No doubt, City's contract offer would be lucrative but why not be even greedier eh?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1132037/Motherwell-left-sweat-picking-windfall-striker-Porter.html?ITO=1490

Porter Deal "on hold"

It is now confirmed that the Chris Porter deal is on hold until the final day of the transfer window on Monday amid claims that he is now likely to take another deal.

The Motherwell striker apparently set off to South Wales for a medical before he "turned back to consider other options" - which translated means his agent is trying to get a better deal elsewhere first.

The Bluebirds are reported to remain interested and could yet complete the deal on Monday but whether they wish to wait and possibly lose out altogether as the transfer window shuts is another matter.

Have City Lost A Porter?

BBC and Motherwell reported this morning that they Cardiff City are raiding them for players again. After the fantastic capture of Ross McCormack last summer, The Bluebirds are said to be returning for striker Chris Porter but by the end of tonight, there is still no word from Cardiff City or any source that any deal has been concluded while some rumours persist another club, possibly Derby County, may hijack the deal while while Norwich, Ipswich, Plymouth, Sheffield United and Wigan are all reported to be chasing him too.

Cardiff City need another 2 strikers ideally and Porter would fit the bill as a back up option. 24, out of contract this summer and with 9 goals in the SPL including 5 in his last 5 games, the striker found his way North after 50 league goals in 100 starts plus sub outings for Bury and Oldham.

It is hard to believe that the fee will be £400,000 and it is more likely to be a nominal amount but will it go ahead? We'll see.


BBC REPORT > Well accept Cardiff Porter offer

Wales Online discuss the rise & rise of Cardiff (oh and Swansea)

Ross McCormack compensation fixed at £120,000

It has been confirmed that Cardiff City and Motherwell agreed a compensation figure of just £120k for the talented young Scottish striker Ross McCormack.

With City buying the out of contract SPL star before the age of 24, a tribunal was due to set a compensation fee but the clubs mutually agreed a figure instead for the player has earned his first Scottish cap this summer (as pictured). 'Well apparently declined a £1.75M bid for the player from Birmingham City in January - which seems strange when they realised they were likely to lose him for a fraction of that figure now.

However Birmingham tried to hi-jack the move now, as they did with Marcus Bent, and pinch the player off The Bluebirds but MacCormack himself said he had already given his word to Ridsdale and Dave Jones and had not even spoken with the Brummies although aware of their late interest.

Scotland is proving to be a fertile hunting ground for a cash-conscious, budget-limited club like City. They also got Kevin McNaughton for a relative pittance under the same terms as MacCormack and picked up free transfer bargains in Thommo and Gavin Rae. The players themselves have also found out the attraction of moving South where wages are bigger - MacCormack is believed to be earning four times as much as he did in the SPL.

He has impressed with City so far and looks set to be a huge hit with the fans and a fantatsic bargain for the club - a winning combination.