“ ONE OF CARDIFF CITY’S STAR PLAYERS REJECTS NEW CONTRACT “

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Thursday 30th November 2017

By Chris Wathan

Aron Gunnarsson has told Cardiff City he’s ready to quit the club this summer having turned down a new contract.

And Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock is resigned to losing the Iceland captain when his deal his expires this summer after revealing talks to try and nail down the midfielder have been going on since pre-season.

Gunnarsson – last year’s player of the season – has been a huge hit in South Wales since arriving on a Bosman switch from Coventry in 2011.

But the 28-year-old has told veteran manager Warnock he wants a new challenge, though has insisted he wants to win promotion with Cardiff in his final six months.

Warnock, speaking ahead of Friday’s clash with Norwich, admitted Gunnarsson could be tempted to stay to play in the Premier League, but concedes the 76-cap international is eyeing a move overseas following a decade in the Championship.

Gunnarsson, who made more than 200 appearances for the Bluebirds, is set to play at the World Cup this summer and could land a lucrative deal, with the player able to begin formal talks with interested clubs from next month.

But Warnock says he won’t be leaving before his contract ends, and admitted he understands the reasons for the player he has called his ‘Viking Warrior’ wanting to call time on his Cardiff career.

Warnock said: “We've spoken numerous times and I've been asking him since pre-season to commit – but he feels he doesn't want to play in the Championship next year. I can understand that and I don't blame him.

“I can understand his point of view. He's at an age now where he's been in the Championship for 10 years. When you've been in the Championship for that long, it's bloody hard work.

“He can sign a pre-contract from January, but I don’t worry about it.

“He's said he'd love to get us up and then it's a different ball game, he'd love to play for us in the Premier League – if I wanted him!

“He loves Cardiff and he'd love us to go up. He's said to me 'I'd love to help you get your record promotion, gaffer, I've got no interest in leaving in January'.”

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Warnock admitted an overseas move is likely, saying he expects interest from Italy and Spain, adding: “ I'm not naive to think there won't be people talking to him.”

Gunnarsson was linked with moves abroad last summer with Legia Warsaw and Maccabi Tel-Aviv both reportedly keen on his services.

Warnock, though, had been keen to hold onto a player who has impressed under the Yorkshireman.

Asked whether he’s tried to persuade Gunnarsson to stay on, Warnock said: “I can't persuade him any more unless he lives with me. I see him everyday and it's not like I think he's doing the wrong thing.

“He has an opportunity. He'll play in a World Cup, on the big stage and if he has a good one... wow, there could be all sorts of clubs looking at him.

“You're always going to lose the odd one you don't want to, but with the new players who have come in we've had great value. We haven't had that in the past. Players don't want to sign things when they think there might be something at the end of the rainbow.

“I love Gunnars, not just as a player as a person. He's a special person and with what Iceland have done, it just shows what can be done in football.”

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so basically - if we go up, he'll renew.

I'd offer him a contract with some sort of " big club release clause" if that's possible?

I would of said his best chance of playing regularly in the prem next year would be with us. Unless he has an outstanding world cup I don't see many takers at prem level. I could be wrong of course.

I dont think he will even with promotion I think he will go either way to a bigger club.

Good luck to him. He has been pretty loyal over the years and a top player. He is getting older so he wants to have a go at a higher level, hopefully with us. Can't say fairer than that in my opinion.

In my opinion the team have done ok without him recently so I would try to offload in January and use the cash to buy a player to get us over the line who would want to play for us next year.

That's fair enough, just sell him in January

I'd be suprised if a prem team wants him, as far as I'm aware he's not had tones of offers from the prem and if he does go he'll prob be sitting on the bench. Great battler but one dimensional and not good enough for the prem.

I think he might go abroad if we don't go up. I reckon he would have a good chance of playing with a decent top level side in Italy, France, etc.

That's fair enough, just sell him in January

easier said than done..the player doesnt have to go anywhere so why would he move in January { unless its a very good move FOR HIM } when its a World Cup year and therefore get quite a bit of exposure.?

Reading this a bit confused I thought there was talk of Warnock walking if he got us to the prem and how much he dislikes it,make this of what you will from the quote about Gunners......... He's said he'd love to get us up and then it's a different ball game, he'd love to play for us in the Premier League – if I wanted him!.......does this mean our wizard Warnock would stay?

He don't want to play in the championship anymore,I don't want to watch it anymore.please gunner bust a gut to get us promoted before you go mate.

Sell him in January and use money to get diamme

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

Depends what offers are around especially if a premiership team comes in for him

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

Give the club a transfer fee? plus if he doesn't ask transfer he gets a slice of the action! I know he can have signing on fee but perhaps he will think of us?

Came on a free, gave great service, might leave on a free. Good for him if we don’t go up and he has a great World Cup and gets a big move.

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

Give the club a transfer fee? plus if he doesn't ask transfer he gets a slice of the action! I know he can have signing on fee but perhaps he will think of us?

Came on a free. Why should he think of us. Short career he needs to maximise earnings. Any money on a fee to us could be in his pocket. If he didn’t perform we wouldn’t keep him out of loyalty we would get shot.

Jesus Christ it’s Joe Ledley part 2!

Exactly mate ledley got hammered for it people got short memories it's part of football happens all the time

Plus remember Manga in a similar situation but he signed a new deal.Lets wait to see what happens.

He owes us nothing. As long as he gives 100% while he’s here, good luck to him next summer or in January.

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

Give the club a transfer fee? plus if he doesn't ask transfer he gets a slice of the action! I know he can have signing on fee but perhaps he will think of us?

the slice of the action is a bit dated..besides if he waits until June he can basically ask another club for a signing on fee to the value of his transfer value, and negotiate with whoever he wishes not just clubs who may have offered our valuation of him.
anyway why anyone would want to start selling players from this squad that is working so well ?

I'd be suprised if a prem team wants him, as far as I'm aware he's not had tones of offers from the prem and if he does go he'll prob be sitting on the bench. Great battler but one dimensional and not good enough for the prem.

I believe we received 2 offers from premiership teams in the summer

Plus remember Manga in a similar situation but he signed a new deal.Lets wait to see what happens.

good point - but putting myself in gunnarsson's shoes i would not stay here unless we were promoted either.

looks like we've got to get promoted to keep him. a big shame that we will not get a fee if he leaves this summer. you can't blame him for having had enough in the championship, and he has been here 7 years which is fantastic commitment.

however, alot can happen between now and the end of the season.

Get rid of him

why on earth would he accept going anywhere in January when in June he is a free agent.

Give the club a transfer fee? plus if he doesn't ask transfer he gets a slice of the action! I know he can have signing on fee but perhaps he will think of us?

Came on a free. Why should he think of us. Short career he needs to maximise earnings. Any money on a fee to us could be in his pocket. If he didn’t perform we wouldn’t keep him out of loyalty we would get shot.

will add that he was free because he ran his contract down not because Coventry did not want him..he had a choice of half a dozen clubs and id imagine took the best offer which was probably a damn sight more than had he been under contract and Coventry wanting a transfer fee.
a lot of free transfers cost as much as they would if there was a transfer fee involved

Didn't Ledley get a load of stick for this?

Didn't Ledley get a load of stick for this?

Ledley did sound off about wanting to play in the Prem though ,and had he we would have at least got some money..but i get your point.