Erol Bulut: Cardiff City boss confident of transfer support in January window
- Published
Vincent Tan has owned Cardiff City for more than 13 years
Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut is confident owner Vincent Tan will back him in the January transfer window.
Bulut has said he needs "three or four players" to build on a promising Championship campaign so far, with the club able to pay fees for players for the first time in four windows.
He also confirmed talks are under way over a new deal for captain Joe Ralls.
"At the start of the season we did not have it easy he (Tan) supported us really well," Bulut said.
"I think we made quite good transfers. I think now in January when the window is open, he will again be behind us and support us really well to get a few targets we are focussing on.
"He has the same character as me, he does not like to lose. That is good, that is why he will give more attention and support us much more in January."
During the summer window, Cardiff were operating under a Football League embargo which prevented them from paying money for players and so were restricted to signing loans and free agents.
But with those restrictions lifting in January, Bulut already has targets in mind.
"Of course it is not easy to make transfers in January, everybody know this," Bulut said.
"It makes it easier for us because we are focussing on a few positions and for those positions we have a few names."
Bulut says strengthening his squad will be vital to sustain the good start to the season, with Cardiff just outside the play-offs.
"I think we have to act because this two to two-and-a-half months will be hard with injuries and cards (suspensions)," he added.
"Our squad is not the biggest squad, we will use everything we have.
"We will give our best to stay where we are right now close to the play-offs. We got this far with hard work and we will not give it away. All my players know this.
"I hope in January when we can get a few players we can add more quality that we can go through."
One area Cardiff may look to cover is at left-back, given the possibility of Nigeria's Jamilu Collins being selected for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile, Bulut confirmed negotiations have begun to extend the contract of skipper Ralls, who is the club's longest-serving player and has made more than 400 appearances for the club since joining in 2011. The 30-year-old midfielder's current deal runs out in the summer.
"Our guys are working on it," Bulut added.
Cardiff take on struggling Norwich City at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, with Wales captain Aaron Ramsey and Callum O'Dowda still some weeks away from returning.
Wales manager Rob Page said Ramsey had suffered a "setback" and Bulut confirmed the midfielder is taking a week's rest from training before resuming his recuperation from a knee tendon injury - although he said Ramsey will not need an operation.
Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland international Callum O'Dowda is not expected to return until the end of December.
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