' Cardiff City's Two Different Budgets Depending '

Cardiff City's two very different transfer blueprints and the summer window we can expect -


By Dominic Booth

Tuesday 9th April 2019


Cardiff City may lie eight points adrift of Premier League safety as things stand, but they're far from relegated yet.



Results at the weekend , however, certainly didn't fall in the Bluebirds' favour and that means their destiny is no longer in their hands.

Hence, contingency planning among the Cardiff hierarchy has begun, in order to plan for two different outcomes at the end of the season.

The cost of relegation is well documented, so what happens to Neil Warnock 's side over the next six matches could shape the entire financial future of Cardiff City.

In the immediate term, staying up or going down will determine what business is done in the summer.




So what can Bluebirds supporters prepare for?

There are two very different scenarios, depending on the team's Premier League fate...





If Cardiff stay up

Staying in the Premier League isn't quite the long-shot it seems for Cardiff, despite Burnley's back-to-back victories making the task a little more difficult for Warnock's troops. There are still some twists and turns to come.

In terms of personnel in the summer, Cardiff would certainly be able persuade Bruno Manga to sign an extended deal if they remain in the top flight.

Of their loan stars, Harry Arter would seem the most likely to sign permanently after admitting he'd become "ingrained" in the club.

Victor Camarasa may stay on, though the vultures are circling around the Spaniard with Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Everton and others linked with a permanent swoop for the on-loan Real Betis maestro — who has been phenomenal this season.

Cardiff should be able to keep the core of their squad together, meaning a summer of stability if they survive.

Camarasa and Aron Gunnarsson aside, there may not be too many first-team departures, though the midfield will need to be bolstered. In lieu of that, there's a possibility that the failed January bid for Adrien Tameze of OGC Nice may be resurrected. Other target positions will be right-back and centre-forward.

Cardiff won't be spending excessively even if they remain in the Premier League. They're keen to avoid the trap that Fulham fell into — spending £100million and getting relegated at the start of April — so it would be a wise, considered approach once again.

Warnock's quotes about last summer's spending will serve as a guiding light for the money men.


NEIL WARNOCK:

"It's one of those things, whilst it is good to have money, sometimes you forget what has got you there when you have money," the veteran boss said in August 2018.

"You can change everything but it doesn't necessarily mean it is going to work.

"We haven't got that luxury anyhow, we think we've spent it wisely, looking to build for the club for the future."


The Bluebirds' spending totalled around £40million last summer. A similar or slightly higher figure would likely be sanctioned by Vincent Tan if Cardiff got a crack at the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.






If Cardiff go down

Relegated sides have to take one of two options when slipping through the Premier League's trapdoor.

On one hand, you take the Aston Villa route: spend big, keep players' wages high and hope it's enough to steamroll the Championship and claw your way back into the elite.

Or you take the Swansea City approach : use the parachute payments and player sales to stabilise the club financially, but risk the wrath of supporters desperate to see an immediate promotion charge.

But it seems Cardiff City would be in a position to strike a compromise between the two.

There's no way Tan will allow a reckless Villa-style spending policy, though losing big earners like Arter, Camarasa and Gunnarsson would be understandable and aid the financial transition.

It's likely they'd be replaced with cut-price options, in the ilk of Neil Etheridge, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Callum Paterson, who arrived for little or nothing in the summer of 2017 — yet would go onto win promotion of course. Bargain-hunting isn't impossible at Championship level, though the Bluebirds' scouting will again need to be top notch like it was two years ago.

Cardiff's purchases of Bobby Reid, Alex Smithies, Josh Murphy and Greg Cunningham last summer were perhaps made with a nod to the threat of relegation. You can imagine all four, plus January acquisition Leandro Bacuna , starring in the Championship next season. There could even be a marquee transfer to really announce the Bluebirds' intentions to bounce straight back.

In terms of players who could be poached, Etheridge and Manga have impressed this term and may appear on Premier League clubs' transfer radars.

Again though: Cardiff haven't spent wildly like Fulham and wouldn't need to make huge cost-cutting measures to cope with the financial burden of relegation. They wouldn't need to 'do a Swansea' and supporters can expect a smoother transition than when relegation came under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2014.

Of course, supporters don't want to countenance relegation at this stage — and nor should they — but Cardiff City are preparing for all eventualities.

I thought we were 5 points away from safety not 8,but then I'm not a lazy journalist. Who is just thinking we have to catch Burnley. A lot more twists and turns yet I'm sure.

I think Dom has 1 eye on Diane Abbotts job .

More rubbish from him.

More rubbish from him.

someone said he is off to pastures new next season .

More rubbish from him.

someone said he is off to pastures new next season .

Yeah he's off to report on Manchester Utd next season.

City have an excellent championship team with ried ward ect ect quite capable of going strait up again with couple of aditions, but then what be in same situation as this season a championship team in premier league with possible same manager playing same type football? Do We need a change in direction playing wise?..

I am still hopeful we can stay up but you have to face reality and the chances are that we wont unless we do the business in our next two games.

However we should have made a very healthy profit this season even if we go down. Our income this year will be around £130 million so we must have made 20-30 million on that. I understood the parachute payment next season is £45 million, so there should be money to spend without affecting the stability of the club. We don't need to spend extravagantly, but we need quality not a load of "squad" players. If Tan wants a serious push on promotion then he needs to give Warnock 20 million to get in at least two new midfielders and a new striker. With the flair of Murphy, Hoillett and Reid coupled with the solid defence we already have for championship football, we could bounce straight back up by adding a new quality midfield and a striker. And if Etheridge goes we have a good back up- (apparently!)- and the money could be used to strengthen elsewhere.

My fear is that after having our fingers burnt last time when Tan let Ole go mad with the cheque book, he will be reluctant to spend this time around.

God i hope Bacuna doesn’t play a “starring role” next season, not sure what Booth’s on about there. Personally, we’re alright in terms of wingers. Murphy and Hoilett/ Mendez will be up there with the best of the Championship. Ken’s still got a point to prove so hopefully he can finally have a consistent season. Paterson will be great no doubt. Although another striker could be needed to provide competition, unless Madine is in their plans next year.

Obviously just need to bolster the midfield, rb and cb positions. Bamba’s not getting any younger so maybe get a PL youngster in on loan as extra cover. RB is worth investing a few million in imo, its a position we’ve struggled in ever since Kev left really. Someone like Sam Byram, Jack Hunt or Ivo Pinto should be looked at. Or even another PL youngster if its suitable.

In midfield, we need a holding, defensive midfielder. Ben Pearson would be my first choice but he would cost at least 5/6 million. Maybe he could be the marquee signing. We’ll need another creative cm & potentially another all rounder as cover. Luke Freeman from QPR could be an option for that creative/ attacking type. Whilst someone like David Davis could be another option.

Whoever we sign, next season should be full of optimism whether we stay up or not. It looks like we’re taking the Burnley approach, so if we do go down we’ll still be able to build a team without mass debts hanging over us like Fulham will have. Its the first time that the club seems to have a sensible plan for the future. If Warnock stays and he gets backed, I’d fancy us to come straight back up.

Our 'strong defence' is starting to look a bit ropey.

Jazz always injured and out of contract in the summer.

Bruno out of contract in the summer - even if Warnock is talking up the prospects of him signing a new deal.

Bamba not due back until the late summer after his injury - he's now 34 and may struggle to get back to his previous levels.

Connolly still being linked to Hull after the January loan move fell through.

We could be left with just Peltier, Morrison, Cunningham and Bennett at the back (the club list Bacuna as a midfielder) with maybe Coxe pushing from the u23s.

Our 'strong defence' is starting to look a bit ropey.

Jazz always injured and out of contract in the summer.

Bruno out of contract in the summer - even if Warnock is talking up the prospects of him signing a new deal.

Bamba not due back until the late summer after his injury - he's now 34 and may struggle to get back to his previous levels.

Connolly still being linked to Hull after the January loan move fell through.

We could be left with just Peltier, Morrison, Cunningham and Bennett at the back (the club list Bacuna as a midfielder) with maybe Coxe pushing from the u23s.

Wanrock said / suggested they have a 1 year option on Manga. I wouldn't be to concerned about Wanrock buying a centre back, he knows what he likes their.