Cardiff City boss Steve Morison says deadline day signing Callum Robinson is in contention for this weekend's trip to Millwall, after being made to wait until the last minute to bring the striker on board.
Robinson eventually sealed a permanent switch to the Welsh capital on deadline day, in a move believed to be worth around £1.5m, capping off a busy summer which saw Cardiff recruit a total of 17 players.
Having previously admitted to missing out on a couple of targets, Morison was understandably delighted to finally get the 27-year-old on board, having been made to wait until the final few days of the window.
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"We’ve been in a situation, I think a week ago, where we felt we’d exhausted all options from a free transfer point of view," he said. "The two loans we got close to both picked other teams. We were at the end and obviously a couple of things came up.
"Callum wasn’t available three days ago and then becomes available. The board, the owner especially, they jumped at the chance and supported it. It was a case of going down to the last minute and all we had to do was be ready and thankfully we were.
"Would I have wished we could have done it one week ago? Of course. But it’s just silly season. I don’t know why anyone leaves it until the last day. I’m pleased with where we are now."
Robinson was one of several names to be assessed by the Bluebirds heading towards the conclusion of the summer window, and his arrival will hopefully go some way to remedying Cardiff's frustrations in the final third.
Morison himself has become visibly irked in recent times by constant questions over bringing a new striker into the building, and was always consistent in his message that he wouldn't be panicked into buying a forward he felt wasn't right for the club.
To have brought about a satisfactory answer to Cardiff's biggest question of the transfer window is, for now at least, another feather in Morison's cap, with the head coach overseeing one of the most extensive squad upheavals for many years.
Robinson, to many, feels like the missing piece of this squad. But with attention now turning to football, there is still an element of pressure for everyone to navigate, including Robinson himself, who is stepping into a club where so many expect him to be the main man.
Morison himself admits goals will be seen as the most important metric for Robinson's success. "You’re a striker, so you’re judged on your goals," he added. "Ultimately, he brings Championship and international experience with him. Another great age at 27.
"He brings quality, can score goals and can set up goals. He brings know-how. You’ve got to know how it feels to put it in the back of the net. He’s a great human being and that’s something we’ve tried to bring in across the board."
It's understood Robinson's squad number will be confirmed later on Friday, with the travelling Cardiff fans potentially set to catch their first glimpse of the new boy this weekend.
Asked if Robinson was fit for this weekend, Morison continued: "Yeah. Unless someone tells me he’s not available. Everyone’s up for consideration. I’ve already made the decision. When we get off here [press conference], I’ll make my way down the training pitch and go through it all."
Cardiff take on Millwall at The Den at 3pm on Saturday, September 3.
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