Here's your round-up of all the latest Cardiff City headlines for Sunday, April 17.
Morison hints at targeting Championship market
Cardiff City boss Steve Morison says he's already given presentations to a number of seasoned Championship stars ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Bluebirds boss says the club know exactly what they want from the transfer market this summer, with Cardiff seemingly set for a summer of major upheaval. As many as 10 players are out of contract at the end of the season, while there's plenty of uncertainty around the club's five loanees.
READ MORE: The 'excellent' Cardiff City starlet with a bright future as Steve Morison tells fans to get excited for the summer
Incomings are clearly going to be important to Morison's blueprint for next season, and plans are already moving ahead of the end of the season. "We’re not having millions of conversations – we’re talking to people we want to talk to," he replied when asked on where things currently stand. "I’m definitely not putting out feelers to try to get this one or that one, we’re being specific about who and what we want and I’m hoping that way we can be more focused in our conversations and our work."
After the success of loan duo Cody Drameh and Tommy Doyle, Cardiff may well look to the Premier League loan market once more, but Morison has hinted that the club may well be looking to bring players with Championship experience on board.
"I’ve done many a presentation already to even players not at Premier League clubs we're trying to get on loan, but players who are seasoned Championship players who have played lots of games and know the level and we’re trying to get them to come and be a part of something. We want to dial down on who we want and we won’t move on until it’s not possible any more."
City ready to cast net abroad
As well as the UK, Morison admits Cardiff are ready to cast their transfer net further abroad this summer, but warns that rules implemented on the back of Brexit have made the landscape harder.
Cardiff have traditionally done much of their business in the UK market in recent years, but it's understood that there's an increasing enthusiasm to explore European markets this summer. However, Morison says bringing foreign players on board isn't as simple as before, with British clubs now having to navigate a points-based system before being able to confirm new signings from overseas.
"It's a lot more difficult now because of the points they have to have when they play abroad and come over here," Morison said.
"We had someone we were really interested in and we got so far in the conversation. We then did all the checks on him and he can't get the points. He couldn't come to us, or to anyone over here. So that's been frustrating.
"But we'll keep looking. Hopefully there'll be a few names that you might have to Google in the summer. But hopefully they prove us right in all our scouting and all our work etc."
You can read more about Cardiff's European scouting here.
Morison on the transfer balancing act that awaits
Morison admits there will be something of a balancing act to be had this summer as he looks to strengthen his squad and, at the same time, give his younger players the opportunity to keep progressing.
Morison was full of praise for young defender Oliver Denham, after the teenager made his full Championship debut in the defeat to Hull City on Good Friday, and is keen to nurture what is an exciting batch of young players coming through the ranks. However, new recruits are going to be essential ahead of the new campaign, and Morison hopes the upturn in competition will help to bring out the best from those already in the building.
"First and foremost, next year we need to be better than this year, we need to be stronger," he said. "We need to win more games we want to do it with some of the players we’ve got in the building, the younger players who’ve come through the academy.
"But it’s a balancing act, it’s keeping the best ones who can handle the Championship, who have the mentality and the Saturday, Tuesday nature of it, and they’re going to need help along the way. We’re going to need players who can help take the burden off them and let them shine.
"They will have players in their way when we make signings because that’s the nature of the beast, that’s how you bring the best out of people, you want people challenging them. We want a competitive squad on the pitch and on the training pitch where people are looking over their shoulder.
"If you’re here it’s because we think you’re good enough to help the team, if you’re on loan and still in that progression phase to learn and develop away from here, and the players that leave are ones we feel a loan won’t benefit them for us, staying around and not playing won’t benefit and they’ll get the opportunity go and find their way in their career and ultimately prove myself and staff wrong for letting them go.
"But it’ll all come clear once dusted down at the end of the season."
Morison outlines pre-season plans
Cardiff are hoping to play five games this summer as part of their pre-season plans, with the Bluebirds set to take on teams from League One and Two.
Morison is also hoping to take his side away for a training camp during the first week of pre-season, and details are likely to be ironed out in due course. "The plan so far is to come back and hopefully have the first week away," Morison said. "No games, just away, training, nailing down the culture in the group and concentrating on what we want to do.
"Then we come back and then we have a week building towards our first pre-season game. Then we'll have five pre-season games. Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. They will be against League One and League Two opposition. Then the season starts on July 30."
