Cardiff City must fight to keep Peter Whittingham, says Danny Gabbidon

Peter Whittingham signed for Cardiff City for £350,000 from Aston Villa in January 2007

Former Cardiff City defender Danny Gabbidon insists the Bluebirds need to do everything they can to keep midfielder Peter Whittingham.

Whittingham, who joined in 2007, is out of contract this summer and has been offered a new deal on reduced terms, according to boss Neil Warnock.

Gabbidon believes Whittingham, 32, still has a big role at the club.

"I'd keep him, if it was me, if there was a chance of keeping him, I would," Gabbidon told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

Warnock is hoping to compete for Premier League promotion next season and Gabbidon, who himself made 221 appearances for the Bluebirds, said Whittingham still has what it takes to aid that ambition.

Danny Gabbidon (right) had a spell as caretaker boss at Cardiff City along-side Scott Young in 2014

"If you have to re-work the contract, incentivise it, whatever it is to keep him there I would," he explained.

"Because if he's playing 10, 15, 20 games a season, he's going to score goals and he's going to create things with assists.

"If you look at the way Cardiff play, it's not this expansive style of football, so it is (about) set-pieces, putting the balls in the right areas and he's the master at that.

"I still think he's got a big part to play at the club so I'd be trying whatever I could, if I was the manager or the owner, to keep him at the club in some capacity.

"Whether that means a coaching role on top of that if he wants to go into that when he finishes playing. It's that kind of contract I'd be offering him."

Gabbidon revealed he had recently spoken to Whittingham and that he believes the midfielder wants to remain at the Welsh club.

"Speaking to him, I think he would like to stay, obviously he's loved at the club," Gabbidon added.

"He's been there a long time and got some fantastic memories. He's been fantastic for the club. But I think it's a bit all up in the air at the minute. It's 50/50 now to be honest with you."

Asked about the Whittingham situation recently, Warnock, who has tied down striker Kenneth Zohore to a new deal, commented: "I would imagine we will sit around the table again, but it might not be until the end of the season."

The Bluebirds are also increasingly optimistic centre-half Bruno Manga, who is himself out of contract at the end of the season, might sign a new deal also on reduced terms.