Cardiff preparations officially under way

Brian Barry-Murphy at the Cardiff City StadiumImage source, Cardiff City FC
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Just over seven weeks since Cardiff City said goodbye to the Championship with defeat at Norwich City, the Bluebirds' preparations for the 2025-26 League One season are officially under way.

Cardiff's squad reconvened at their Vale Resort training base on Monday, with players undergoing fitness testing following the summer break.

The Bluebirds will go through pre-season with a new man at the helm, after Brian Barry-Murphy was appointed head coach last week.

For the first time since he broke through from the academy in 2011, there will be no Joe Ralls at Cardiff during this pre-season after the club announced his departure.

Andy Rinomhota, last year's players' player of the season, has also gone, as have Aaron Ramsey, Anwar El Ghazi, Yakou Meite, Dimitrios Goutas, Jamilu Collins, Raheem Conte and Kieron Evans, while loan signings Sivert Mannsverk and Will Alves have returned to their parent clubs.

While there are players returning to the fold after loan spells elsewhere - such as Kion Etete, Ryan Wintle and youngster Joel Colwill - Cardiff's squad looks a little depleted given that they are yet to sign a player this summer.

For Barry-Murphy, there is work to do in the transfer market as well as on the training ground.