NEIL HARRIS ‘ TRANSFER MARKET ‘

Cardiff City haven't hit the ground running in the January transfer window, as manager Neil Harris continues to assess his options.

But the 6-0 New Year's Day hammering at the hands of Queens Park Rangers, one of the worst displays in the club's proud history, has simply reinforced the need for Harris to act.

And reasonably quickly, too.

He inherited a bumper squad from Neil Warnock, one that contains plenty of talented players, but it is also lopsided. There are too many ineffective strikers, arguably too many goalkeepers, not enough pace in the side and a lack of dynamism in the midfield.

These are the among the things Harris will be weighing up as he contemplates ins and outs from Cardiff City Stadium in the coming days and weeks.

Money to spend

There is a suggestion Harris is being restricted to bringing in loan players - and if he is indeed limited to that, they need to be of sufficient quality to walk straight into the starting XI.

However, I'm told Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan is, in fact, prepared to dip into his deep pockets yet again to sign the right players for a top six drive, if Harris identifies value for money acquisitions.

Having been stung with the millions spent on the likes of Andreas Cornelius, Gary Madine, Aden Flint, who in the view of many fans has yet to justify his £6m fee, plus the likes of Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid, you could forgive Tan for being somewhat wary about writing any more big money cheques.

But if it takes paying bumper transfer deals to land the men who can revive Cardiff's season and get them back into the promotion mix, then pay the money Tan will.


Vincent Tan spent money on Aden Flint and will spend
If Harris feels he can get by on loans, then Cardiff will embark down that route. But the option to spend money is there.

Either way the budgets need to be balanced, with Cardiff prepared to get a number of players off their books.

The priority areas




A winger

This has suddenly shot to the top of Harris' in-tray for a variety of reasons.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Cardiff's most threatening wide-man this season, has been ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury. That is a colossal blow for the Bluebirds, who will sorely miss his pace, power and direct running in the final third of the pitch where, Lee Tomlin's magic aside, they have looked uncreative.

Josh Murphy, at £11m, should be tearing up this division. He and Reid were two of the main reasons why Warnock felt this squad could prove better than the one that went up under him in the Championship. Yet Reid was sold and Murphy hasn't been picked at times in the league and there are fears he could also depart this month.

Junior Hoilett clearly oozes class, but isn't going past full-backs as readily as last time at this level when he proved one of the finest players in the league.

Gavin Whyte came from Oxford United. While he has promise at 23, he isn't going to terrorise defenders yet at this level.

Harris himself has stressed the need for more threat in the final third of the pitch. That makes a tricky, fast, creative and preferably goal-getting winger his number one priority.

If he has to pay for the right man, then pay he should because Cardiff need that type of player who will get the fans on the edge of their seats.

If it's a loan, so be it. Look at what Harry Wilson did with Derby last season.




A striker

Cardiff aren't exactly short of options up front, with Robert Glatzel, Gary Madine, Danny Ward, Omar Bogle and Isaac Vassell on the books. But none of them have put down an undisputed marker to be number one.

In fact, Callum Paterson has previously proven a more effective centre-forward - and he, too, remains an option, although Harris has yet to try him there.

You just sense it could suddenly happen and explode with Glatzel, who undoubtedly has goal talent. But Warnock didn't use him correctly and Harris is still trying to work out the best method.

Harris appeared to like Madine, but many fans feel it is time the Bluebirds cut their £6m losses on this one. It was a surprise Madine didn't make the cut for the FA Cup draw with Carlisle, when Harris picked his fringe players, and that may be telling in terms of movement this January.

We will see.

Ward looks more effective as a substitute than a starter, Bogle has been sidelined, we've barely seen Vassell.

Glatzel clearly has to stay and be afforded more of an opportunity, but Harris may look to cash in on some of the others and with his own contacts seek to land the kind of goalscoring centre-forward the Bluebirds have coveted since the days of Jay Bothroyd.

But the one can't go without the other. The books need to be balanced and the Bluebirds already have too many under-performing strikers.

Again, landing the right man in this position will cost, but it's money Tan is ready to pay.

Over to Harris. Can he find that player?

Left-back cover

Joe Bennett will remain first choice under Harris, and rightly so, but there is a lack of quality back-up.

Harris could look to sign a loan player as cover and wouldn't need to spend big in this area.




Midfield

Whether it's down to tactics or personnel, Cardiff evidently have a problem in controlling games in the engine room.

Marlon Pack clearly has ability, but you just sense there is so much more to come from him. Joe Ralls has been injured, Leandro Bacuna has filled in gamely, Will Vaulks hasn't been used much.

Harris may deem he has enough with those four, but the team is crying out for someone with creativity, quality, dynamism and preferably a bit of pace in this area.

It's not high on Harris' to-do list, but if Sunday's Welsh derby against Swansea City goes wrong, he may feel it's something he simply has to address before the January 31 window closes.

Harris could be forgiven for wanting his own type of midfielder.