Neil Harris: Cardiff City boss warns of tight transfer budget

Neil Harris (left) has wanted to sign Kieffer Moore (right) since he was Millwall manager

Cardiff City manager Neil Harris has warned he will have to work with a modest transfer budget this summer.

The Bluebirds signed Wales striker Kieffer Moore from Wigan on Thursday, but the financial impact of coronavirus means Cardiff's other business might be limited to loans and free transfers.

Meanwhile, out-of-contract forward Danny Ward is set to join Huddersfield.

"I know full well I've not got a transfer pot to spend in abundance," Harris told BBC Sport Wales.

"We've got a very healthy squad and I'm very happy with our squad - we've got some talent in there.

"As a manager, you always want a little more strength in depth but I understand the situation we're in with Covid-19 and the state of football. We have to be sensible.

"Being able to bring Kieffer in was very sensible business. I didn't expect to have any money to spend at all so I'm really thankful for that."

On Ward's expected move to Huddersfield, Harris said: "I think he will [leave]. Me and him have a fantastic relationship.

"He's been very loyal to me after lockdown where he could easily have made a decision - as others lads in the game have - to not play, but he stayed and worked great for us, and personally as well by scoring a couple of goals.

"Danny is a northern lad. He's got a young, beautiful family and sometimes location and contract status dictates what you do in football.

"If Danny is to leave us it'll be sad for me because I enjoy working with him, but also I fully understand that sometimes you have to move on and do what's best for you family-wise."

Right-back the next priority

Cardiff spent £2m to make Moore their first signing of the summer, though it appears unlikely there will be many multi-million-pound acquisitions to come in this transfer window.

Chairman Mehmet Dalman warned in April that coronavirus would have a "quite considerable" financial impact on Championship clubs, and Wigan going into administration before their relegation to League One meant Moore was available for a reduced fee.

Having lost in the 2019-20 play-off semi-finals to Fulham, Harris is now in the process of strengthening his squad for another bid to return to the Premier League.

One area Cardiff will certainly need to strengthen is right-back, following the departures of four players in that position.

Lee Peltier joined West Bromwich Albion in January, Wales international Jazz Richards left in June after his contract expired, while Wales youth player Cameron Coxe has also departed and Dion Sanderson returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month following the end of his loan.

"There's possibly the opportunity for him [Sanderson] to stay with us [on loan] moving forward," said Harris.

"Leandro Bacuna was exceptional in midfield and moved to right-back for experience and was very capable.

"But we are looking for a right-back to strengthen us in that area. Then after right-back we'll look at positions where we feel we're a bit short and need to tinker.

"Realistically the football industry, even the Championship, is going to be based on loan players, free transfers and probably swapping players as well, which we don't often see in this country but is a real realistic element we could see moving forward."