Cardiff Summer Transfer Guide: Window Must Keep Bluebirds Clear of Relegation

Although Malky Mackay’s side have the advantage of heading into the upcoming Premier League season as Championship title-holders, Cardiff City can by no means take their recent accolade for granted.

If anything, an even heavier burden rests on the Bluebirds’ shoulders after 42 years away from the top flight as the Welsh club aim to live up to not only their high standards but the standards set by their local rivals, Swansea City.

With that in mind, a lot of that fortune could rest on just how savvy the club can be during the summer transfer window—a period that can make or break the success of any side, never mind a promoted one.

With Reading returning to the Championship after just a season back in the Premier League, Cardiff have no better template of perhaps how not to do things than Reading, a club who were in an identical position to the Bluebirds this time 12 months ago.

Areas In Need

One of the key aspects of City’s triumphant 2012-13 campaign can be attributed to a fruitful summer transfer window last year.

The summer months saw the likes of Matthew Connolly, Craig Noone, Jordon Mutch and Kim Bo Kyung all join the club before going on to see great joy at the Cardiff City Stadium, while the permanent arrival of Craig Bellamy also provided a major boost to the outfit.

Not to mention the winter acquisition of Frazier Campbell injected a new impetus into the Bluebirds’ attack, something that can have a major impact on the squad in the second half of any season.

With WalesOnline.com reporting that Heidar Helguson and Steven McPhail would be release by the club on free transfers, space has been opened up both in the centre of midfield and up front for Cardiff.

However, aside from expiring deals, the club still need to improve upon their existing roster, bumping the general pedigree of their side up from a Championship to Premier League variety.

With Kevin McNaughton struggling with injury in his career at times, a new first-choice right-back could be considered a high priority for the club, although not ignoring the contributions McNaughton has made for the club in his Cardiff tenure.

Another area worth exploring for the Welsh outfit will be cover for the centre-back positions, perhaps suitable for a loan signing from one of Cardiff’s new Premier League opponents.

In recent months, Mark Hudson, Ben Turner and Connolly have done their jobs in the position but will find the demands of a Premier League campaign to be a different villain altogether, meaning a high standard of replacement will be compulsory.

Finally, like most promoted sides, a new striker will undoubtedly be desired by both fans and club to give the ageing Craig Bellamy and Frazier Campbell a run for their money.

Fringe Players

Even though City’s new Malaysian owners have injected a considerable amount of money into the club, it’s important that Cardiff, like so many clubs before them, keep a tight check on their wage bill.

As such, the trimming of the fat when heading into a new division of a much higher demand can sometimes prove to be as important as squad signings, creating space for further reinforcements without losing the spine of the side that got them to the promised land.

Back in February, Malky Mackey was reported by WalesOnline.com as saying the last summer’s record Slovenian signing, Etien Velikonja, needs to “toughen up” if he’s to thrive in the Championship.

Considering that, the same goes double for the Premier League, and unless Velikonja can meet the standards required of him soon, the side may have to cut their losses with the forward.

With Heidar Helguson now gone from their ranks, Rudy Gestede will find it easier to get into the side. But if another face is to be brought in, the Frenchman may fare even worse than his 22 substitute appearances last season.

Joe Mason is another attacker who found it difficult to break into Mackay’s preferred ranks last season, but the 22-year-old holds plenty of promise and is bound to be kept around this summer.

Transfer Strategy

Finding that line between genius and madness is a metaphor so easily adapted for the Premier League transfer market.

QPR, also owned by a Malaysian businessman, showed over the past two years that spending outside one’s means is most certainly not the way forward for every club, if any.

With that in mind, there are valuable deals to be done in top-flight football.

When a club like Swansea City can sign a player of Michu’s quality for a fee of just over £2 million, one has to ask where is the need in signing a player like Christopher Samba for £10 million, or any others among the lists of Hoops stars that didn’t give back their “worth.”

Instead, cherry picking where necessary, combined with a splurge in an area that most needs it, is the strategy capable of reaping the most benefits.

Simply signing the best of the Championship isn’t enough but Southampton are a template to show that the best hitmen in England’s second division can thrive in the Premier League, too i.e. Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez.

In your first season amongst England’s elite, bringing in youth is far from a priority for a side who won’t be looking any further than the next couple of years.

As such, if a player “out of his prime” or perhaps closing in on the magic age of 30 should become available, the club need to consider every avenue available, especially if for a player in an area of the pitch the Bluebirds are lacking in.

As aforementioned, the temptation to go crazy in terms of expenditure is a tempting one for a promoted side, and the champions no less. But that root winds down a road it’s hard to come back from if it goes awry, and is worth staying away from altogether, at least for this summer.