Latest Loan Target hopes fading already

CARDIFF CITY have been linked with Manchester United's 22 year old Irish midfielder Darron Gibson on the hush-hush for a couple of weeks.

Indeed, Dave Jones and Peter Ridsdale were at Old Trafford apparently watching him a fortnight ago and it was that same visit that prompted media stories linking City defender Adam Matthews with a move the other way.



City, it seemed, were and still are set to make a loan move for the player in January but that could now be in jeopardy after Gibson exploded onto the scene in the last week after he was Man of the Match blasting both goals in a Carling Cup quarter final victory over Spurs which he followed up yesterday with anohter dynamite goal in a 4-0 Premiership win at West Ham.

Cardiff's problem is that not only have all the Championship woken up to the player but there's very chance United will now be looking to keep him. Rae and Scimeca it is then!

Gunter - A Bluebird in the Forest

Former CARDIFF CITY rising star and Wales international Chris Gunter has ended his brief time in the Premiership by completing a move from Spurs to Nottingham Forest today.

Gunts seems to have been around a while so it's hard to realise he is still just 19 years old but he was plucked by Spurs for £2M after starting just 20 games for Cardiff City in January 2008.

What may have seemed a dream move proved it's not all fun getting to the top level as Chris started only 3 Premiership games and soon found himself falling further down the pecking order as the North London club added extra personnel.

Against that background, Gunter want to loan to Forest last season helping them to Championship survival and indicated he would like to stay permanently. He will now face Cardiff City this coming season ... wonder if he'll ayatollah???

The Rumour Rounadbout Hits Full Speed

If specuualtion isn't bad enough in the week, you can always rely on the Sunday papers to take it to another level. Once again, they haven't let us down with Cardiff City news.

Of current personnel, it's two big stars and one fading star in the news.

Everton, long-time suitors of Joe Ledley but who have never made any approach, are reported to be ready to bid £3M to £3.5M for the midfield star but they now apparently face stiff competition from fellow Premiership side Hull City who are ready to gazump them and meet Cardiff City's current asking price of £4.5M.

Yesterday, Ross McCormack declared on his Facebook account that "I am staying at Cardiff City until 2013!!!!". Of course, the new 4 year deal also makes sure Cardiff get the price they want sure anyone make a move for the hot property and 24 hours on, it is being reported that Hull City are also ready to bid £3.5M for him after their key terget and exp-loan success Frazier Campbell dumped them at the 11th hour for Sunderland.

City are known to be looking to offload several other players to bring in new faces and it is being reported that Paul Parry is closing in on a move to League One outfit Norwich City whose assistant manager Ian Butterworth knows him well form his time at Cardiff. That deal is being speculated as a possible swap with Canaries midfielder and early summer linked player, Sammy Clingan, coming to South Wales.

If Cardiff sell Ledley and.or McCormack, they they have funds to build and players linked include Wayne Routledge, Dos Santos of Spurs, Zheng who has just left Charlton, Ched Evans to name just a few.


Meantime, the entire City squad - including McCormack, Ledley and Parry - flew out to Portugal for a week's training and 2 informal games. Which perhaps makes it unlikely much, if any, business will be done this week.

Leading Bluebirds linked to Prem clubs, little inbound links to date

It's the silly season and newspapers are falling over themselves with transfer speculation - it'd just be too much hassle to reproduce them but here's a key summary.

JOE LEDLEY - seems to be linked with half the Premiership. At last count, it was Everton, Spurs, West Ham, Snderland, Stoke and Wolves. I may well have missed someone. However contract talks are dead with Joe so, with a year to go on his existing deal, it's only a matter of time before he ends up elsewhere. The figures being banded are all in the £5M-£6M range.

ROGER JOHNSON - Roger has a couple of years left on his City deal but having declined Premiership bids for him in January, it would be tough to do so again when the player believes it is time for him to make his move to that level. Strongest link so far is Portsmouth but Sunderland, Middlesbrough (if they survive which looks unlikely) and Wolves are mentioned in despatches too. Figures of £3M have been mentioned but surely he is worth more than that?

ROSS McCORMACK - Ross has commented that he wishes to stay in public but, in private, with his faincee believed to be unsettled in the area and Premiership clubs showing reported interest in him while he is also being mishandled by Dave Jones who has shifted him wide or out of the side to accomodate a disappointing (to date) Michael Chopra, it may be a different story. West Ham and Wigan are linked with the player. Figures of upt £5M would be outstanding business for a player who cost City only £200K last summer.



The one name being linked to the club is former centre-half JAMES COLLINS. No news of whether it is loan or permanent, whether it would be part of a deal with a City star moving the other way or whether a player who has previously declined a return and may still feel he belongs to the Premiership would be interested if it is a possibility. He's clearly seen as a replacement for Roger Johnson if/when RJ leaves but he also stuggles with fitness and injuries - can City's perennial small squad afford the gamble?

Gunter doesn't rule out Forest stayover

Gunter - can't see the wood for the
trees at Nottingham Forest

Having seen Nottingham Forest survive an immediate retrun to League One during his loan time from Spurs, ex-Cardiff City player and City fan Chris Gunter has spoken of his relief and that he may return.


Gunts told the Forest website today, "There's a lot of ifs and buts but if I went back and, for example, Tottenham said 'you're still 19 and need to go out and play more games' and if Forest wanted me, I'd genuinely feel there wouldn't be too many better places to go than here. It is definitely something to look at, it's been brilliant."


Not too many better places? He hasn't been looking hard, has he?

Gunter joins Nottingham Forest on loan

Welsh international and former Cardiff City defender Chris Gunter has this morning joined Championship strugglers Nottingham Forest on loan for the rest of the campaign from Spurs.

Gunter, still just 19 years old, had a dream move from Ninian Park to White Hart Lane in January 2008, a move that boosted Bluebird coffers by £2M.

Despite his talent and being feted by City fans in general, Gunter never quite got the break under Dave Jones (the pic here is Gunter amongst City fans at Charlton last season weeks before his transfer as Jones didn't use him in the 16).

He has got more football at Spurs playing 12 times this season and last playing in both UEFA Cup ties against Shaktar Donetsk just 3 weeks ago but with Harry Redknapp now in charge and new players brought in pushing Gunts further down the pecking order, he knew he was unlikely to feature again this season.

Although still young, you do wonder if Gunter is going to make it big. He was publicly offered to Chamapinship clubs by Spurs, is it an indictment that it was one of the strugglers who took up the opportunity??

Now it's Wigan cash + Koumas for Ledley

The Daily Mirror reports that Wigan Athletic are the latest club to be ready to make an offer for Joe Ledley with a £6M package deal, £4M cash plus Jason Koumas. The Latics needs players and have funds available having just sold Palacios and Heskey for £17.5M but whether that offer will be made and, more to the point, whether it meets City's valuation is a different matter. The Bluebirds have made it clear that they are fighting to keep Joe at the club and put a £8M asking price on his head but Wigan are stated to be interested after previous target, Reading's Steven Hunt, is believed to be have turned down the club.

Monday's South Wales Echo also stated that Peter Ridsdale turned down a weekend bid from the player with hints that it may have been Fulham who need to replace sold star Jimmy Bullard, who joined Hull City, and require a replacement for him.

As for Joe himself, his only words are he hopes to play in the F.A. Cup replay at Arsenal - that game coming the day after the transfer window closes - and that he's happy to stay unless City accept an offer for him to consider.

The line of suitors for Joe is getting bigger if you believe the press. By my reckoning, it's Spurs, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Aston Villa, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth and Newcastle. No interest yet from Accrington Stanley however.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/01/26/wigan-to-offer-jason-koumas-to-land-cardiff-star-joe-ledley-115875-21071947/



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Geordie Joe???

Newcastle United are the latest club to be linked with an imminent bid for Cardiff City local hero Joe Ledley.

Ledley, currently captain of the side having rediscovered his very best form, is reported in the North East as being one of three Championship players coveted by Magpies boss Joe Kinnear, the others being Reading striker Kevin Doyle and Wolves striker Michael Kightley.

Spurs, Everton and Stoke have long been in the running and City are bracing themselves for bids in respect of a player that Dave Jones and City fans alike would love to see stay and help for a serious tilt at the play-offs or promotion in the second half of the season but if a £6M+ bid arrives, can Cardiff seriously decline it again for a player out of contract in 18 months.

The only official words so far are from Peter Ridsdale saying that no bid has been made since August while Ledley himself told today's South Wales Echo, "I have heard nothing from the club or my agent and I don’t believe that Plymouth was my last game for the club. I have an 18-month contract to run and I have always said that my ultimate dream would be to play for Cardiff in the Premiership, that dream has not changed".

Let's hope he stay but, without question, expect more developments.

South Wales Echo Ledley story:
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/12/30/ledley-i-m-still-a-cardiff-player-91466-22570977/

LATEST CARDIFF CITY TRANSFER GOSSIP

I can't be bothered commenting on them lately as there's so much of it and nobody will know what is happening unil the transfer window opens next week but here's the latest snippets doing the rounds.



Stoke City will offer Cardiff City £7m for winger Joe Ledley in January. (Daily Telegraph).


Cardiff City defender Roger Johnson is attracting the interest of Everton, Stoke City, Tottenham, and Bolton. (The Times)

Routledge wishes to stay but will City get their man?

Cardiff City fans see Wayne Routledge as a Premiership-standard player in the Championship while, in the eyes of Villa fans, he's a Premiership man who really belongs to the Championship as evidenced in this article as en example (http://astonvillablog.com/transfer-gossip-21st-dec-08/).

Given this, there's every chance Routledge will stay with City beyond his current mid-January loan and it is very heartening to hear the player himself has apparently expressed his desire to stay. City fans would love it, he's become a cult hero already who excites every time he is on the ball.

Talk is that Cardiff are looking to buy him for £300k in the summer and continuing his current loan until the end of the season. As he's out of contract and not close to the Villa side, signs maybe promising.

However, his form, exceptional skills and goals in his brief time at Ninian Park has surely brought him to the attention of others and QPR, more flush with money than City, are rumoured to be expressing strong interest in taking the player back to London where he's best known after starting out at Crystal Place before a switch to Spurs.

His time in the Premiership with Spurs and Villa hasn't worked out but let's hope that is to the advantage of Cardiff City. Time will soon tell.

Joe Ledley - The January Sales Talk Starts Here

According to today's South Wales Echo, Everton are poised to offered £6M for Joe Ledley when the next transfer window opens which is 3 weeks today.

The Toffees have been long rumoured suitors of Joe but failed to move for him and instead opted to try and take Aaron Ramsey who was prised away by Arsenal for £5M.

Newspapers have also speculated that Spurs may bid for Joe who could then team up with the North London Taffia of Ramsey, Chris Gunter and Gareth Bale. It also seems inevitable that Stoke City whose £6M bid was declined in the August window will try their luck again too.

All of this makes it tough, if not impossible, to hold onto a player who is out of contract at the end of next season and who had been unsettled by summer rumours only recently rediscovering his form. When it is rumoured that Stoke were willing to more than treble his Cardiff City salary and dangle the carrot of Premiership football, it is easy to understand why he may have been distracted but it also suggests City have next to nil chance pf gettign him to sign a new deal too.

Of course, it may be mutually beneficial to club and player to sell as City would love to keep Wayne Routledge and Michael Chopra plus add a midfielder to the squad for the run-in. Publicly, they may say they wish to keep Joe but, privately, I can imagine Joe being sold if the only way to raise funds to give them any opportunity to do such deals. .

Cardiff City braced for £6m Everton bid for Joe LedleyWalesOnline

LEDLEY LINKED TO SPURS

Today's News of the World - famous for its endless transfer speculation for deals that never happen - suggest that Cardiff City's local boy midfielder JOE LEDLEY heads their shopping list for the January window at a cool £8M.

There are, however, a couple of problems here;
1. It is speculation
2. The likelihood of Spurs director Commolli and boss Ramos staying at a club currently bottom and adrift for much longer is not looking great.
3. If it's a tough central midfielder they want, then is Joe really their man?

Here's the story from the paper:

TOTTENHAM sporting dierctor Damien Comolli may be skating on thin ice at White Hart Lane but he is already making plans for the January transfer window.And top of the shopping list is Welsh midfielder

Joe Ledley.The Cardiff City star, 21, has been the subject of bids from Wolves, Everton and most recently Stoke but Spurs will try to finally break the Championship club’s resolve in the next transfer window.Boss Juande Ramos, who appears to have doubts about Jermaine Jenas, believes he needs a tough central midfielder — but the price for Ledley is likely to be £8million.

A STRIKER BARGAIN FOR CARDIFF CITY?

According to News of the World, Manchester United are set to get Berbatov from Spurs for the princely sum of £25!

I'M WILLING TO GIVE CITY £50 TO DOUBLE IT & GAZUMP THEM!

RAMBO SOLD ... but fianl destinatination and date to be decided by the player

It's been several weeks in the making and it has always been obvious it was simply when rather than if but today came confirmation that Cardiff City have agreed to sell prodigy Aaron Ramsey.

What remains to be confirmed is where Rambo will eventually go as The Bluebirds have announced that they have accepted two bids for the player who is free to talk to both and decide what he wishes.

Manchester United have possibly jumped the gun by announcing on their official website that they have agreed a deal with City and are talking terms with Rambo and undergoing a full medical with the Caerphilly born 17 yr old who has just 22 games under his belt. They remain red hot favourites and are City's preferred choice of sale since their package deal - thought to be worth upto £6 Million - includes allowing Ramsey to stay with City for 2008/09 as a loan player. For that reason, most City fans will be hoping this move goes ahead too.

It is, however, far from concluded since the other club who have had a bid accepted are believed to be Arsenal so Ramsey and his representatives will see them too. The Gunners believe he would get first team exposure next season so would not loan him to City. And City are bracing themselves for Liverpool and Spurs are matching the accepted bids which may yet turn it into a four team tug-of-war.

It's good business for City who are continuing what now seems to be custom of selling its biggest star for substantial sums every summer with the sequence being Earnshaw, Jerome, Chopra, Ramsey. It doesn't feel right that we lose our best produced talents like Gunter and Ramsey at such an early age and, in both cases, after barely 20 games for the club but that's how it is.

Whether it's good business for the team all depends on whether Dave Jones is now given money to spend and that's been painfully absentafter other recent big money sales.

To have the biggest clubs fighting over Ramsey is testimony to his impact and potential and it's hard to argue it represents great business for City even if some believe the package should be far higher bearing in mind the fees agreed for Walcott and Bale in recent times.

BBC announcement
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/7433277.stm

Cardiff City official website announcement
http://www.cardiffcityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~1322884,00.html

Manchester United official website announcement

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6610831

GUNTER THE GEE-TAR HERO?

Ex-City man, Spurs player and tipped to be Wales Captain in an upcoming friendly, talks about his love of music and his wish to emulate Thommo ... with a guitar rather than his football finesse of course!

I want to be guitar hero

SOUNDS OF THE TERRACES ... CAGNEY AND LACEY !?!?!?!?

Been laughing listening to PSV Eindhoven fans at Spurs in a European game on tv tonight chanting the theme tune from ropey dinosaur cop show Cagney and Lacey in the same manner as City fans sing "Men of Harlech".

Maybe we should trump them by doing the theme from The Big Match or The Sweeney!