Steve Morison has suggested that his side are closing in on a transfer breakthrough ahead of the summer window - and says he hopes to have players through the door before they return for pre-season training.
A number of names have emerged on Cardiff's radar ahead of what is a key transfer window, and Morison has already said the club are now proving an attractive destination for Premier League clubs looking to loan out their brightest young talents. Cardiff still have two games of the current season to go, of course, but it seems the wheels are starting to turn on their summer recruitment plans.
Cardiff take on Birmingham City on Saturday in their final home game of the season, having slumped to a fourth-straight defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough on Wednesday night. Indeed, it's perhaps not been the strong end to the season Morison would have hoped for. However, his excitement for the next campaign has clearly not been dampened too much.
"I keep drumming on about next year but that’s the reality of where we are," he said. "That’s what I have to do when we lose a game. Yes we’ve lost a few in a row now, but I just take myself away and realise that we’ve got somewhere to go.
"I was doing Zooms with potential new players yesterday and showing them where to go. What we’re doing, what we’re trying to do. That just keeps me excited and keeps me looking forward."
The likes of Jak Alnwick, Josh Laurent, Andy Zeriqi and defender Aji Alese are among those believed to be on the radar, but Cardiff are looking further afield too. Indeed, the Cardiff boss says two players he's spoken to are currently plying overseas.
"Both are playing abroad at the minute and fit the bill of what we want. I didn’t show them anything they couldn’t do.
"Our players are doing it now and they’re doing it at their clubs. It was me just laying it down to them about what I expect from them when they walk through the door if they decide to join us.
"I tell them, 'I haven’t just plucked you out of the air. There’s a reason because you fit the physical profile and technical profile of what we want', and then sell them the club and project.
"I said it to a player yesterday, ‘You're one of one Zoom I’ve done. You’re not one of ten in your position. You’re the target. This is why we want you. Hopefully all is good and you come and join us’. Then I take his questions, family questions, agent questions. Then we go from there. That’s the process. Hopefully it pays off."
Morison is clearly hopeful of some early breakthroughs in the summer, and would clearly like a few new faces in place in time for pre-season training later next month as he bids to fully make his mark on this team.
"We do the Zoom because we’ve agreed the other stuff," he continued. "It’s just that person committing. The finances are done. There’s no point having a Zoom with you if we’re going to have to keep negotiating. The Zoom’s the final bit. Find out what they want. Find out if it’s feasible. If it’s not feasible then there’s no point wasting our time having the conversation. If it gets this far, it means we’re getting closer. You like to have agreements.
"Hopefully the old gentleman’s agreement is in place. Once we can officially sign it, we do, subject to medicals etc. There’s a lot going into it. If I can, we’ve had a couple come in here in person. It’s not all talk just before we’ve lost a couple of games. If I had my laptop you’d know.
"We know what market we’re in. The players won’t have clubs either so there will be no reason as of June 22 that these people won’t be in the building. It won’t be everybody, but it will be as many as we can physically do."
