Cardiff City's first piece of summer transfer business has been wrapped up with the signing of midfielder Ebou Adams.
The 26-year-old midfielder has just won the League Two title with Forest Green Rovers and, if reports are to be believed, as many as eight Championship clubs were said to be chasing his signature this summer. However, he bought the vision, loved the city and the stature of the club and that's all she wrote, so to speak.
Adams has been an incredibly consistent performer for Forest Green over the last three seasons, typically coming out somewhere near the top on most of the important metrics, and has shown his versatility in carrying out a number of roles for the club.
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The point must be made, of course, that it is some step up from League Two to the Championship, however, Laurie Martin - who covers Rovers for our sister title GloucestershireLive - believes he is more than capable of making his mark in the second tier. Here, we ask Laurie for his expert insight to delve deeper into what to expect from Cardiff's first signing of the transfer window:
Question: What sort of player are Cardiff getting with Ebou Adams?
Cardiff are getting an all-action, box-to-box midfielder. His performance level over three seasons in League Two has been consistently high, and he’s been one of the most complete players at that level over that time. Adams boasts incredible athleticism and unrivalled work-rate, which enables him to cover a lot of ground at really high speed. This season, he made the most tackles in League Two, he was the second most fouled player, and he was right up there for most interceptions made. His stats look good - but he’s something else when you actually watch him in the flesh. Adams pops up all over the pitch, and he’s a real threat in both boxes. He actually played as a striker on a few occasions for Forest Green. When players arrive at a new club, it’s a massive cliché when they say, “I’ll give 110% every game,” but that’s a guarantee with Adams.
Q: He seems to have got rave reviews the last couple of years. Just why has he been so impressive?
He’s got a unique skill set, where he’s excellent both physically and technically. Over a three-year spell, he’s been arguably the standout player in a team that has finished ninth, sixth and first in League Two. Opposition managers admire him. Keith Hill said that Adams was one of the best midfielders outside of the Championship when Forest Green beat Scunthorpe in April. James Rowberry, a former Cardiff City coach now at Newport County, was shocked that a bigger club hadn’t snapped him up in the January window when Rovers beat Newport in February.
Q: Cardiff are totally rebuilding their squad this summer and they need leaders. Can he fit that mould?
He’s somebody who leads by example. If you look at the way in which he returned to Forest Green after being knocked out of the African Cup of Nations with The Gambia, Adams was knocked out of the tournament in Cameroon on January 29, and he played for Forest Green against Port Vale on February 1. He travelled back from Douala on the morning of the game, and played a huge part in helping Rovers get a 1-1 draw in the evening. He loves football, and despite only being 26, he's somebody younger players should look up to. Old Forest Green boss Mark Cooper was asked if Adams was a leader back in April 2021. Cooper replied: “He’s a warrior. He’d run through brick walls for you.”
Q: It's clearly a big jump from League Two to the Championship, do you think he is capable of stepping up and making his mark?
As one of the most consistent performers in League Two over the past three seasons, I think Adams has done enough to skip out League One, although he has already played a handful of games in that division with Shrewsbury Town. The fact that a host of Championship clubs were reportedly interested shows that Cardiff are not alone in believing he is capable of making the jump. Adams is an athlete, and he won’t find an increase in intensity in matches or training sessions a problem. He deserves a shot at the second tier.
Q: Cardiff are trying to evolve their playing style to play a bit more football next season. Do you think he will fit in with that?
Adams has played in possession-heavy sides under different managers during all of his Forest Green career. This season, he played as a number eight and a number 10 in what was arguably the best footballing side in League Two. Adams has so many good attributes that I believe he could fit into any system, but he’s thrived in a side that is pleasing on the eye.
Q: Why should Cardiff fans be excited by his arrival?
Adams will arrive at Cardiff with a point to prove. He’s still young, hungry and it’s a shrewd piece of business by Cardiff to kick off their transfer activity.
