Neil Warnock plans 'three or four' January signings

Cardiff City: Neil Warnock plans 'three or four' January signings


Tuesday 3rd January 2017

By Dafydd Pritchard


BBC Sport

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock hopes to make "three or four" signings during the January transfer window.

The Bluebirds beat Aston Villa 1-0 on Monday with a performance Warnock praised as the best of his reign.

With Cardiff 19th in the Championship and still not clear of relegation, the 68-year-old is looking to strengthen.

"I can't envisage spending a lot of money. Vincent [Tan, the owner] will be quite pleased to hear me say that," said Warnock.

"I've got three or four targets. I've spoken to two or three clubs about them and I'm hoping we can get one or two over the line over the next few weeks.

"We're close on that Financial Fair Play thing so we might have to lose the odd player going out and, at this moment in time, I don't know who that will be.

"It all depends who comes in for my players. I hope it's not one I don't want to let go."

Warnock was busy in the transfer market immediately after succeeding Paul Trollope as Cardiff boss in October, signing free agents Sol Bamba, Junior Hoilett, Kieran Richardson and Marouane Chamakh on short-term deals.

Centre-back Bamba and winger Hoilett have since established themselves as first-team regulars, but midfielder Richardson and striker Chamakh have been released after barely playing.

Bamba was deployed in an unfamiliar holding midfield role against Villa, and the Ivorian excelled as Cardiff secured just a second clean sheet of Warnock's tenure.

"It's the best we've played by a mile since I've been at club. It had everything," the former Crystal Palace manager added.

"We made hard work of it. We should have put the game to bed by half-time, but we don't do that do we? We've worked on being a bit more disciplined towards the end of games - we've thrown so many points away.

"I threw Sol into midfield and he did well. I first saw him at Leicester City playing in midfield and we had a laugh about it.

"He did ever so well, enabled the others to get forward. I thought we dominated for large parts. I didn't see weakness anywhere… an all-round really good performance."

Wow, a couple of pacy midfielders, two hotshots up front and keeping Manga could transform our season.

Wow, a couple of pacy midfielders, two hotshots up front and keeping Manga could transform our season.

I'm afraid Manga won't be here.

manga may end up staying if we sell morrison which the rumour is hes leaving

Warnock said he'd have a signing by the 1st for Villa game now it's moved to FFP rules and offloading this is very similar to previous managers!

Trust he gets who he wants otherwise he will feel his hands tide and will wonder why he bothers.

Get them in and then get shot of who he don't want that's the simple way.

manga may end up staying if we sell morrison which the rumour is hes leaving

No mate, Manga won't stay.

The clue maybe in his team selection yesterday anyway.Playing Bamba in front of the back four gave us something we haven't had all season.If Manga goes and Bamba reverts back to CH then perhaps he's on the lookout for a genuine holding midfield player.

Well Manga is of to the Afirca cup of nations so we will be without him for the next month or so either way

I think he is just preparing us for one or two "names" will go before new ones arrive. I guess the new kid is for the U23 squad.

Whitts and Gunnar will be interesting as was playing Sol at DM. How much would it cost to prize Gunnar away? Connolly is another i can see some interest in. Definitely championship class but 4th choice and at an age where a decent bid may come in.

Rall, Huws & O'Keefe one or maybe two need to leave for their own careers.

Noone or Pilks - one needs to go.



Its all about the offers and i reckon no player is "safe". No transfers out, no transfers in

I think he is just preparing us for one or two "names" will go before new ones arrive. I guess the new kid is for the U23 squad.

Whitts and Gunnar will be interesting as was playing Sol at DM. How much would it cost to prize Gunnar away? Connolly is another i can see some interest in. Definitely championship class but 4th choice and at an age where a decent bid may come in.

Rall, Huws & O'Keefe one or maybe two need to leave for their own careers.

Noone or Pilks - one needs to go.



Its all about the offers and i reckon no player is "safe". No transfers out, no transfers in

Agree with all of this. The only thing with conely is if Manga goes and then we sell conely we could struggle to get anyone in as good as either of these two at this stage and actually end up alot worse off - like the GK situation!