UPDATED PRESS CONFERENCE: NEIL HARRIS AHEAD OF READING GAME

We’re into the final straight of the January transfer window, and Cardiff remain in the hunt for a breakthrough.

The likes of Connor Wickham, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes have been linked with the club in the last few days, but there has so far been little sign of any concrete movement.

Neil Harris faces the media today ahead of tomorrow night’s clash with Reading, and will no doubt offer an update on his search for new recruits.

Bogle latest

A little news from last night.

Sky Sports now claim that Omar Bogle is in talks to sign for ADO Den Haag until the end of the season.

Bogle has been out of favour at Cardiff City Stadium this season, playing just 383 minutes of football in all competitions for the Bluebirds.

Bogle reportedly set for Dutch move - full story

Cardiff City’s Omar Bogle is in talks to sign for ADO Den Haag until the end of the season.

Reports suggest that the Netherlands outfit, now managed by Alan Pardew, are hoping to tie up a loan deal that would see Bogle move to Holland until the end of the campaign.

Bogle has been out of favour at Cardiff City Stadium this season, playing just 383 minutes of football in all competitions for the Bluebirds.

Gary Madine’s contract was terminated by mutual consent, and Isaac Vassell’s season has been wrecked by injury, meaning Neil Harris is short of options up top.

Despite that, Bogle is reportedly close to joining Pardew in Holland. The former Newcastle United manager already has Sam Stubbs on loan from Middlesbrough, Tudor Baluta on loan from Brighton and winger George Thomas on a similar temporary arrangement from Leicester.

Former Ipswich Town defender Jordan Spence joined last week, too.

Bogle’s exit - coupled with Cardiff’s struggles in front of goal - would push further into focus Harris’ need of striking reinforcements. Robert Glatzel and Danny Ward have been sharing the burden to date but there is a feeling the Bluebirds need more reliability in terms of a goal return.

Bowen - Royals are ready

Reading boss Mark Bowen says his Reading side are raring to go for tomorrow’s clash at the Cardiff CIty Stadium.

Friday is the second of three meetings in quick succession between the two sides, with City earning a 1-1 draw at the Madejski in the FA Cup on Saturday.

And Bowen believes insists his team will take nothing for granted against a Cardiff side fresh off the back of an impressive home win over West Brom.

“We know it’s coming and how they play – and on Tuesday they got a win against West Brom, which shows how tough it can be down there,” said Bowen.

“We have to be mentally prepared for it, and we’ve got to play our game as well. We did that in large parts of our FA Cup game at Madejski Stadium against them.

“So we have to get our focus right, defend right, switch on and communicate, and have that desire both on and off the ball.

“If you get a win there, your eyes start looking up the table again to see where we are. We’ll keep going - and we will learn from every game, win or lose.

“We won’t give up, and I want fans to keep having hope, like I do. We will keep striving, keep pushing.”

Cardiff reportedly set to miss out on Wickham

Cardiff City could be about to miss out on a loan deal for Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham.

According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are ready to send the striker on loan to Hillsborough for the rest of the season, despite interest from the Bluebirds and Bristol City.

Wickham has seen first team opportunities dry up at Selhurst Park, with boss Roy Hodgson recently admitting that he would not stand in the striker’s way should the opportunity to move on arise.

Having already seen Gary Madine depart the club, and with Omar Bogle reportedly on the verge of a move to Dutch side Den Haag, there is certainly room for attacking reinforcements before Friday’s deadline.

Sources close to the player had confirmed Cardiff’s interest to WalesOnline, but after holding discussions with the 26-year old, Wednesday now appear to be the front-runners for his signature.

Cardiff City sign Brad Smith

Well this took us all by surprise.

Hasn’t been a word on this one, but Cardiff have now announced the loan capture of Brad Smith from Bournemouth.

Cardiff City are less than 48 hours away from the closing of the transfer window and things are beginning to heat up.

Over the past few days a few new names have emerged in their hunt for a new striker, with Crystal Palace's Connor Wickham, Bristol Rovers' Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sheffield Wednesday's Jordan Rhodes reportedly now on their radar .

Neil Harris is set to meet the media this afternoon to preview the Bluebirds' clash with Reading at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday; we'll be asking the gaffer what the score is with those three names.

The manager admitted after the 2-1 win over West Brom on Wednesday night that he would be "majorly disappointed" if additions weren't in the building come Friday evening.

And last night it emerged that Omar Bogle was edging closer to a loan deal to join Alan Pardew's ADO Den Haag.

Thanks Chris. Back in Cardiff now for tomorrow nights match

If bogle is off I can see someone coming in out of the blue

Neil Harris: "We want to build on Tuesday's victory"


Neil Harris spoke at the Vale Resort ahead of Friday night’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Reading.

The City boss first focussed on Thursday’s loan recruitment of Australian international, Brad Smith.


“We are delighted to get the deal over the line,” said Harris. “You can look at his CV and see the pedigree.

“We’ve been looking for a left-back to compete with Joe Bennett. Someone attack-minded, with pace and energy to get up and down the pitch. Brad ticks those boxes.

“He’s trained with the group this morning, which is a positive. He hasn’t played much football in the past six to eight weeks, so we will be patient with him.

“We’re really pleased to have him on board. His character references have been first class and he was desperate to come to Cardiff. I only want players who want to play for this Club.”


Harris went on to set his sights on Friday’s match, as he called for the Bluebirds to use our home victory over West Brom as a platform for further success.

“The challenge to the players is to build on the foundations that we’ve put in place," he added. "We did that on Tuesday night with the win against the league leaders. The next step is to build on that and make it back-to-back wins or put an unbeaten run together.

“We want to repeat the performance on Friday night. We have to find that consistency over the course of 90 minutes, and for the next weeks and months into the end of the season.”