Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:28 am
Cardiff City have missed out on re-signing Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic on loan.
Grujic, 22, joined Cardiff in January and played 14 times as they secured promotion to the Premier League.
Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock had been confident in re-signing the Serbia international for a second spell.
"Grujic looks like he will stay put... I think he would be better off here but it is a contract issue, I understand his point of view," Warnock said.
"Liverpool have four competitions before Christmas and he can play in those without being named in the 25-man squad."
Grujic has made eight substitute appearances in the Premier League for Liverpool since joining from Red Star Belgrade for £5.1m in January 2016, when he became Jurgen Klopp's first signing as Reds boss.
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Warnock admitted that Cardiff had cooled their interest on other potential signings in the expectation that Grujic would return to Cardiff City Stadium rather than remain at Anfield.
"I have missed out on a couple of targets waiting for him, it is disappointing as everything was agreed with Liverpool. But sometimes fate intervenes," Warnock said.
"We need a couple of midfielders and a striker. We are really short in midfield."
Cardiff have signed four players so far this summer, all from the Championship, with forward Bobby Reid joining from Bristol City, winger Josh Murphy from Norwich City, defender Greg Cunningham from Preston North End and goalkeeper Alex Smithies from Queens Park Rangers.
Warnock has been in negotiations with Villareal over signing midfielder Alfred N'Diaye, but says links to Watford striker Troy Deeney are unlikely to lead to his signing.
"We have been linked with Alfred N'Diaye, we have spoken to the club involved but I think the package is a bit beyond us," Warnock said.
"Troy Deeney, I read we offered £15m! That is ridiculous really.
"It makes me smile really. We get calls from agents and I think 'that will be in the newspapers tomorrow'."
Cardiff, the bookmakers' favourites to be relegated, will need to move swiftly if they are to bolster their squad before the transfer window closes on 9 August.
The Bluebirds begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday, 11 August away to Bournemouth