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)

CARDIFF CITY SIGN GERRARD (That's Anthony - Steve's Cousin)

CARDIFF CITY this evening announced the capture of centre-half ANTHONY GERRARD from League One Walsall. The player who will be 23 years old this weekend made 157 league starts for The Saddlers scoring 7 times and had been in demand.


Walsall had turned down several offers in the past year for a player contracted to them until 2010 and announced only this morning that they had declined a £200,000 bid from Scunthorpe United so it's a safe bid Cardiff City topped that offer for a man who has twice been voted their player of the season and has been hugely popular for his whole-hearted committed displays.


Gerrard along with yesterday's signing Mark Hudson effectively means City have replaced Darren Purse and Roger Johnson although Slovakian Maros Klimpa is on trial and may yet be signed as a further centre half who also has an ability to play in midfield. The move surely signals the end of the Bluebirds road for Darren Dennehy who has never fitted in at the club and was loaned to Hereford United last term.

Mr. Hudson set for Cardiff gig

CARDIFF CITY have confirmed they have had a bid accepted for an unnamed defender but it is supposedly someone other than Motherwell's captain and right back Paul Quinn and believed to be Charlton Athletic skipper and centre half Mark Hudson, the deal reportedly worth what strikes me as a rather inflated £700,000. Surely not that much?

Hudson "proud" wears a Charlton scarf last summer
Bet he'll soon "proudly" be wearing a Cardiff one

At 27, Hudson doesn't fit the vastly experienced category with just 170 league outings under his belt, the majority with Crystal Palace where he made his name before switching to Charlton last summer on a free transfer and managing 43 starts and 3 goals as The Addicks finished bottom of the Championship and were relegated to League One.

However Cardiff badly need two centre halves with Darren Purse departed and Roger Johnson sold so reinforcements are urgently required. He is also a known Cardiff City target as manager Dave Jones tried but narrowly failed to bring him to the club in the January transfer window.

The player was reportedly engaged in talks with Cardiff City today but there is no more news as yet.

Wednesday confirm Purse capture

Preview

Within hours of that awful day a fortnight ago when Cardiff City lost at Sheffield Wednesday to complete the most spectacular play-off failure ever, Bluebirds skipper Darren Purse was linked with a move to the victors that day.

Overnight it has been confirmed that Purse - who was at a Ninian Park Friday night function - has agreed a new deal with the Owls and officially becomes their player on July 1st when his Cardiff City contract expires.


SWFC boss Brian Laws was delighted and commented, "My main priority this summer is to sign players with quality and experience. In Darren Purse we have secured the services of someone with both of those qualities in abundance. He has experience of getting promoted from this division and of playing at the very top level but most importantly he is a leader on the pitch. We already have some excellent young players at Sheffield Wednesday and Darren will help bring out the best in the other defenders around him."

It has been apparent for many months that despite his own desire to stay, Purse was not going to be offered a new contract by Jones. He his a genuine Mr Nice Guy and showed more desire and commitment to see City make the play-offs that many of his under-performance passion-drained team-mates when it mattered.

However while he can still produce man of the match displays, he has lost pace, can be clumsy and is not going to be a first team regular so a move to a club offering that for the 32 year old suits Purse as well as Cardiff it seems.

In 4 years at Ninian Park, Purse - signed by City for £750,000 -played 119 times and scored 12 goals - a mix of penalties and being in the end of set pieces. Some will remember how he also scored a couple of spectacular own goals and got sent off 6 times although a couple were rescinded under appeal.

Purse is a terrific leader, personality and deserves to play and do well. Good Luck Darren.

Marshall's agent says he will become a Cardiff City hero

Here's a radio interview with BBC Radio Wales with Marshall's agent talking of his move to "The Cardiff City Stadium".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/8046996.stm

In a twist tonight, after completing the deal, Norwich City's Chairman and Chief Executive quit the Canaries.


Here's a clip of Cardiff City's new goalkeeper saving that penalty from RONALDINHO.

Cardiff McCity go Jock-tastic with their first summer signing

They had the third worst defence on the Championship conceding 70 and got relegated in 22nd spot but Cardiff City have tonight confirmed Norwich City goalkeeper DAVID MARSHALL as their first capture for next season after The Canaries accepted a six figure Bluebirds bid.

His final game for Norwich was hardly the occasion for his 100th appearence with the club as his side were beaten 4-2 at bottom club Charlton and relegated to League One with them. After that game 10 days ago, Marshall said, "I've no problems staying here because I don't think there are clubs lining up for any of the boys when we've just had 46 games to stay in the Championship and got relegated." However with 12 months left on his contract, he was the first to get out and said afterwards, referring to intenational ambitions how "Scotland won't look at third division players so I've got to think about that".


At 24 and 6'3", Marshall was the only ever present for Delia's boys last season after joining the club from Celtic for a cool £1M two years ago. He caused a stir with his hometown club by getting an emergency call to a famous European tie against Barcelona a couple of years ago and starring as man of the match to help them to victory including a penalty save against Ronaldinho.


Norwich supporters have displayed natural angst about it all. They will the fee is circa £400,000 but are gutted at his lack of loyalty and jumping ship. Sour grapes will always play their part but they're not exactly full of praise for a keeper they talk about being disorganised, a poor communicator and quiet, not good with crosses who stands his line but a good shot stopper. Sound just like what we're used to then! As if to contradict that opinion, ACTIM official stats made him the top performing Norwich player and ranked him the 49th best player in the Championship last season so it can't be as bad as they say especially after he starred for Scotland B last week and is on the verge of a first team squad call up.


After City rid themselves of loan men Tom Heaton, Dimi and Stuart Taylor last week, Marshall goes head to head with Peter Enckleman for the goalkeeper spot next season and is likely to be favourite while Enckleman also recovers from injury.


He will certainly feel at home in South Wales with City also having Scotsmen Ross McCormack, Kevin McNaughton, Gavin Rae and Chris Burke. Welcome to Cardiff Mr Marshall.

Need a Hand? Cardiff City get yet another goalkeeper

Cardiff City have signed a new goalkeeper on loan but it’s not Kasper Schmeicel as many were speculating but Aston Villa’s third choice goalkeeper Stuart Taylor.

Taylor, a previous Dave Jones target, has always been the bridesmaid and never the bride starting out as an Arsenal understudy where he managed 18 Premiership appearences in 8 years before switching to Villa in 2005 and managing 12 Premiership games.

His only Villa outings this season were two Intertoto outings in late sumer. At 6’ 5”, the 28 year old will certainly be imposing and is expected to step straight into the City side at Bristol this Sunday lunchtime.

It may be a kick in the teeth for current custodian Dimi Konstantopoulos but he has proved a liability with 2 disastrous goals conceded and, for an experienced man, an astonishing lack of any kicking ability or awareness in and around the penalty box.

Dave Jones lambasted Dimi after his horror at Norwich in midweek so the writing was on the wall. The manager, and his defence, had clearly lost confidence in the Greek who will now sit on the bench while Tom Heaton and Peter Enckleman recover from injury.

Taylor is not only Cardiff’s 4^th goalkeeper of the season but the 10^th in 3 years as he has proved himself unable, in the eyes of many fans, to adequately replace Neil Alexander at the club.

Good Luck Stuart!!

New Loan Keeper signed to cover Enckleman absence

CARDIFF CITY have this eveing confirmed the loan signing of Coventry City's Greek goalkeeper Demitrios Konstantopoulos (thankfully better known as Dimi) on loan for the rest of this season.


Weekend rumours of regular keeper Peter Enckleman facing surgery were founded today as he had a weekend knee op and is expected to be absent for a critical 6-8 weeks.


30 year old Dimi started his UK career with Hartlepool before being snapped up by Coventry in the summer of 2007. He managed only 21 appearences for the Sky Blues but has been popular wherever he has played, none more so than City's local rivals Swansea City for whom he has just completed a 6 game loan spell featuring in The Jacks great F.A. Cup 3rd Round win at Portsmouth. Swans fans wished for him to stay but the deal couldn't be done and Cardiff have now moved in.


Dimi will compete with Tom Heaton for the keeper's shirt but Heaton will get first chance in the F.A. Cup replay against Arsenal at The Emirates next Monday night with Dimi being cup-tied.

Eddie Johnson - the turnip's becoming a Swede?

It's being reported that Cardiff City loan misfit EDDIE JOHNSON may be about to jump ship for Scandinavia and join Swedish club Malmo on loan.

Johnson failed to score after joining Premiership Fulham from Kansas City Wizards this time last year and found his way to Ninian Park for a season's loan last August. The loan has proved a huge talking point and failure for City as they were duty bound to have him all season and paid his wages, reported between £15k to £18k weekly, in full.

While being arguably the best paid player at the club, Johnson has been the worst performer. Seemingly a nice guy and a trier, he has been woefully short of expectations and instead become a figure of fun amongst the City faithful who chant his name in humour rather than adoration. Some call him a cult ... at least that's what it sounds like they're saying!

EJ has had 3 starts for City and 14, usually very brief, sub outings but as 2 new strikers have now arrived in the shape of Quincy and Michael Chopra, it's looking highly doubtful that Eddie will even get a seat on the sub's bench so a move has to be in his best interests ... and those of Cardiff's accountants as well!

Malmo are playing coy but Eddie's agent, Richard Motzkin, has confirmed that he has travelled to Sweden and had talks. Malmo are also the former club of Roy Hodgson, now Fulham boss who brought Eddie to these shores last year.

An imminent deal is expected ... Cardiff fans hold their breath!

Quincy "Russian" into Cardiff City

CARDIFF CITY have just announced the loan signing of the 22 year old Ghanain international born in Amsterdam forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (thankfully known as Quincy!!) on loan for the rest of this season.

It sounds exotic to say that he is arriving on loan from Spartak Moscow but, truth is, he has spent all season on loan to date at Championship rivals Birmingham City for whom he started 12 times in the league and came on as sub 7 times scoring twice, one of them a winner for the Brummies at Ninian Park earlier this season.

NO, NOT THAT QUINCY!!!!

The player started his career as one of Arsene's babies at Arsenal and appeared 23 times for the Gunners also scoring 2 goals. He can play as a striker but is often used as a wideman and certainly has pace.

He will link up with City and be considered for the first time in the away league clash at Charlton Athletic next weekend.

'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

Willo Signs On at Celtic

Wee Willo Flood has completed his move from Cardiff City to Celtic and everyone seems delighted. Flood, an expensive failure at Ninian Park after being bought for £200,000, went for free when City had hoped for £50,000 but the club were just happy to get him off their wage bill as Dundee United, where he had been on loan for one and a half seasons, paid a relatively minor portion of his pay.

Willo, a lifelong Celtic fan, is delighted to be joining the club he adores while Gordon Strachan, Celtic boss, is happy to get such a capture for nothing.

Flood expressed his delight at joining Celtic, thanked Dundee United but had nothing to say about Cardiff ... it's mutual though as Cardiff City fans haven't really got anything to say about him. The average City fan had forgotten he was a Cardiff player before all this transfer talk emerged after all. The time spent at the club saw him have some popularity with the fans for a time before it was widely acknowledged he was too lightweight for the demands at that time.

Some players and transfers just don't work out at some clubs. that's how it was with Willo here. Good Luck to him.

Flood to sign for Celtic today

The day after missing the decisive penalty in an extraoridinary 11-10 penalty shoot-out that put his on-loan side Dundee United out of a Scottish Cup to Celtic, Willo Flood met up with the victors to take a full medical and is set to be unveiled as a new signing today joining ex-Bl;uebird Glen Loovens at the club.

Flood was in his second full season on loan at United but out of contract at Cardiff City this summer. They wanted to keep him but were unable to match his financial demands, indeed Cardiff City are believed to still be paying the bulk of his wage now.

A good story appears in today's Times about Flood.

Willo Flood on way to Celtic
Times Online


Willo Flood on way to Celtic
Times Online

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.

Purse - a Bluebird fleeing to a Canary?

Watching Norwich City lose a 2 goal lead to the Championship's bottom club Southampton at Carrow Road last night was out of favour Cardiff City skipper Darren Purse.

Purse versus Van Persie -
from, 3 yrs ago not 3 days ago!

Purse was reported to be a guest of the East Anglian club and will have watched on with interest as both goals conceded were the result of defensive errors.

Darren has said he would like to stay at Cardiff but he wants first team football. He has been told that City are looking for a new defender and if Dave Jones gets one, he can leave the club.

Norwich manager Bryan Gunn refused to comment post-game on whether Purse would be joining the club but it's now a reasonable bet that will be his next destination if Cardiff get their man.

Purse can go if City get someone in

Dave Jones has confirmed that Darren Purse can leave the club and that there has been interest in him but it will only be allowed to happen if he gets a replacement first, a situation he is working on.

Purse, City's club captain, is spending his second season at City effectively being a reserve. A brief resurgence this season didn't last long as he finds himself behind Gypes and Johnson and he was behind Loovens and Johnson last term. Committed and hugely likeable, Purse has waned and needs first team football with Leeds and Soputhampton expressing interest amongst others.

Talking to BBC, Dave Jones says, "We've had inquiries about Darren Purse. Darren knows the situation that we won't be letting any players out until we've got replacements.''Darren knows this and is happy. He is still trying to earn a contract here which is fine, but he knows I'm looking for other players."

DJ and Strachan discuss the great Flood

Dave Jones has contacted Celtic regarding the possible transfer of Willo Flood. Cardiff City contacted the Glasgow outfit after finding out they were trying to buy him off Dundee United! Quite funny but understandable when you consider he's currently spending his 2nd full season on loan at The Tannadice club.

One's a World Star,

the other never became a Cardiff City star,

you work it out.

Howeever negotiations are not straightforward as Celtic would like him for free, realising that he is out of contract this summer, while City are seeking a nominal fee circa £50k. An added consideration, however, is that Cardiff still pay the bulk of Flood's wages while at Dundee United so it ultimately suits City to see him move across Scotland just to get him off the wage books.

Expect further developments.



Celtic make move for Cardiff's Willo FloodWalesOnline

Ledley, Kopumas, Striker, Defenders - latest Cardiff City transfer talk

Peter Ridsdale and Wigan sources have jointly confirmed in the South Wales Echo that The Latics bid to take Joe Ledley to the Lancashire club has been turned down by Cardiff City.

Wigan's bid appears to have been £4M for Joe plus Jason Koumas who they valued at £2M but Peter Ridsdale reiterated his desire to back Dave Jones' play-off/promotion quest, keep existing personnel at the club and try and add a new face or two instead.

Player swap deals are rare and never seem workable. Not least, I'm sure Cardiff City or any other club could get Jason Koumas for much less than £2M if they wished while Wigan's self valuation of Joe at £6M is a fair way below the price at which City would feel compelled to do business. Dave Jones and Cardiff City fans all admire Jason Koumas but his wages in excess of £20k weekly would prove problematical too.

In other news, The Echo confirmed that the club are in talks with a defender as a potential replacement for Darren Purse should he leave while they are continuing in their search for an extra striker as Eddie Johnson and Paul Parry are the only viable alternatives at present behind McCormack and Bothroyd which is far from ideal.

Echo Story

Cardiff City turn down Koumas swap with Ledley

Wigan paper links to Joe intensify but only if it's cash

According to a report in this morning's Daily Mail, there has been contact between Cardiff City and Wigan over Joe Ledley.

However while Cardiff reportedly told West Ham to find £8M last week, Wigan have been told to find £6M if this report is to be believed. It doesn't add up to me.

The report also adds that Wigan were looking to include Jason Koumas and Henri Kamara in a cash plus swap deal. City fans would love Koumas to return while Kamara has been a past target but City want cash only and, apparently, neither player was keen on being involved in such a deal.

Hold your breath time then, here we go again! The transfer window closes next Monday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1128583/Cardiff-tell-Wigan-6m-Ledley-signing.html?ITO=1490