These are your Cardiff City headlines on Friday, June 23
Bluebirds' ban reduced, EFL statement released
Cardiff City's transfer ban has been reduced from three windows to two - meaning new boss Erol Bulut will be able to sign players for fees come January.
The Bluebirds are still able to make free-signing transfers and loan deals this summer.
The EFL imposed their three-window embargo because Cardiff did not pay on time the first £5million instalment to Nantes of the £15m transfer fee for Emiliano Sala. FIFA lifted their ban when Vincent Tan came up with the initial fee in January, but the League stuck to their guns with a three-window transfer ban of their own.
That has now been lifted, providing Bulut with a boost for the season ahead.
An EFL statement read: "An independent Disciplinary Commission has confirmed and approved an agreed position between Cardiff City and the EFL that will see the club subject to a fee restriction and not permitted to pay fees in respect of transfers or loans for two full transfer windows, after triggering the EFL’s ‘30-day rule’.
"This sanction is inclusive of and had been applied in the January 2023 winter transfer window, and now also applies during the current 2023 Summer Transfer Window, though does see the Club receive a reduced sanction from three full transfer windows after appeal.
"Cardiff City had triggered the EFL’s ’30-day rule’ when it was late in making an initial payment to Nantes FC for the transfer of Emiliano Sala, having been ordered to do so following a lengthy legal process involving FIFA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport and then the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
"The club appealed to a Disciplinary Commission following an amendment to the League’s ’30-day rule’ in June 2023 after EFL clubs agreed a right of appeal should be afforded to any club in breach should they have genuine exceptional circumstances that ought to be considered by a Disciplinary Commission.
"Upon reviewing the case, the Disciplinary Commission agreed with the EFL that the club was 53 days late in making payment so should be sanctioned, but that there were also exceptional circumstances surrounding the case which should be considered.
"In addition to the fee restriction for two windows, the club will also make a payment toward the EFL’s legal costs and arbitrators’ fees."
Cardiff said in a statement of their own: "Following dealings between the legal representatives of Cardiff City Football Club and the EFL, we can confirm:
"The three-window fee restriction, previously in place, has been reduced to a two-window fee restriction. Cardiff City Football Club has already served a one-window fee restriction in January 2023. It will therefore be eligible to pay fees once again for transfers during the January 2024 transfer window.
"The club's summer 2023 player recruitment plan has already been prepared for some time with this potential ruling in mind.
"Cardiff City Football Club are extremely pleased with this decision, which recognises the exceptional set of circumstances the club finds itself in.
"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Capital Law for their support throughout this process."
You can read the full story here.
Pompey boss admits Whyte interest
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho says the club are "certainly interested" in signing Gavin Whyte this summer.
The winger was released by Cardiff earlier on this summer after his contract expired in south Wales. Pompey, Hull City and Oxford United are all admirers of the Northern Irishman and Mousinho believes his former team-mate will have plenty of options.
He said: "We’re certainly interested.
"You want to do your business early, with some players they have a lot of options. All the players we signed had a lot of options, but we managed to get them done early.
"Gav is one where naturally he has quite of lot of options, with the pedigree he has. He has those years in the Championship and he is a Northern Ireland international."
Pre-season fixtures announced
Cardiff have announced two new pre-season friendlies for your diaries.
The Bulut era will get under way at Cardiff City Stadium against opposition from the Cymru Premier Division, with both Penybont FC and The New Saints visiting the capital in July, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Bluebirds will host Penybont on Saturday, July 1 before taking on league champions The New Saints at home three days later.
