Cardiff City boss Neil Harris lifts lid on summer transfer preparations and the specific list he's looking at
The Cardiff City manager has revealed a lot of work is going on behind the scenes, despite there being little clarity over what the next transfer window will look like
Harris: "I think we will see lower wages within the country, from the Premier League downwards."
With football currently on hold, it is anyone's guess when, or indeed if, the current season will be completed, with there certain to be a knock-on effect for dates for the summer transfer window, too.
But Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman quickly moved to curb fans' expectations when it comes to the next window, citing the financial implications the coronavirus has had on owner Vincent Tan's business in recent months.
Cardiff have made it clear since Harris' appointment that the club are looking to become far more self-sustaining, the days of splashing big in the market appear to be over, certainly while they ply their trade in the Championship.
And that is now more important than ever, given Cardiff's heavy reliance on the financial clout of Tan.
Either way, Harris is ensuring that when the time is right, he will have all bases covered, keeping an especially-keen eye on those players whose deals end this summer.
NEIL HARRIS:
"It becomes about recruitment - thinking about the squad, thinking about out-of-contract players," he told the BBC of his time in lockdown.
"What are the financial implications going to be on football and our club in particular?
"Are we going to be able to bring anybody in? There is a lot of talk about recruitment at the moment."
Given the financial uncertainty surrounding not only Cardiff City but football in this country as a whole, Harris believes we are likely to see a knock-on effect as to how much cash is actually in the game.
Cardiff players have accepted wage deferrals, while chief executive Ken Choo and even Harris himself have accepted wage cuts to ensure the financial stability of the club in these uncertain times.
Football's bubble looks likely to burst when the game eventually resumes and the City manager believes the landscape could look very different for the foreseeable future.
"I think the real knock-on effect will be in the next transfer window and the one after that - at least two transfer windows if not more," he added.
"I think it will slow down the progress of foreigners coming into the game in the UK because I don't think the money will be there.
"I think we will see lower wages within the country, from the Premier League downwards."
He added: "We are seeing conversations in League One and League Two about salary caps, spending per team, and I think that can only be a good thing to get the game going again."
While football can threaten to pale to insignificance during these unprecedented times, it must also be noted there are people's jobs and livelihoods at stake should the industry grind to a halt full stop.
It is why the debate over when football should restart is such a lively one, given the riches and how important it is to the UK economy and morale.
But Harris' view on how or even when to finish the season appears to be shifting with each passing week.
"We would love the opportunity to finish the current campaign," he added.
"But there is a bigger picture to this. The welfare of people in Wales, the people in the UK, my family, everybody's family, is the most important thing.
"If we are going to recommence this season, it has to be in the safest possible environment and I think it is going to be tough for the EFL to do that.
"I would like the season finished for the integrity of the game however long that takes. Is it realistic? I change my mind every week."
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