Cardiff City

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City signed off their pre-season schedule with a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

A strong Bluebirds starting XI containing summer signings Calum Chambers and Chris Willock went close through Ollie Tanner and Yakou Meite early on.

But it was Wales captain Aaron Ramsey who unleashed an unstoppable 25-yard drive into the top corner of Josh Griffiths' net to put the visitors ahead on 28 minutes.

Taylor Moore, Grant Ward, Promise Omochere and Luke McCormick all spurned chances to bulge the net for the League One hosts, who competed well in spells against their Championship counterparts.

But Cardiff skipper Joe Ralls put the result beyond doubt with a sublime curled effort in the 56th minute as Cardiff - who gave a debut to new recruit Wilfried Kanga late on - rounded off their summer fixtures in style.

Erol Bulut's men kick-start their 2024-25 Championship campaign at home against Sunderland on 10 August (12:30 BST).

Cardiff City v Bristol Rovers: Ethan Horvath; Perry Ng, Calum Chambers (Joel Bagan 65), Dimitrios Goutas, Callum O'Dowda (Luey Giles 85); Manolis Siopis, Joe Ralls (C) (Eli King 85); Ollie Tanner (Raheem Conte 70), Aaron Ramsey (Rubin Colwill 65), Chris Willock (Cian Ashford 65); Yakou Meite (Wilfried Kanga 70).

Subs not used: Jak Alnwick, Jacob Dennis, Adeteye Gbadehan, Ronan Kpakio, Tom Davies.

It is a strong team named by Erol Bulut for today's pre-season friendly, with the Cardiff City boss opting for a 4-2-3-1 shape against Bristol Rovers.

Summer signing Calum Chambers starts at centre-back while Aaron Ramsey sits in the centre of Chris Willock and Ollie Tanner, with Yakou Meite leading the line.

Young guns including Cian Ashford and Rubin Colwill are on the bench.

Cardiff City: Ethan Horvath; Perry Ng, Calum Chambers, Dimitrios Goutas, Callum O'Dowda; Manolis Siopis, Joe Ralls (capt); Ollie Tanner, Aaron Ramsey, Chris Willock; Yakou Meite.

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New signing Wilfried Kanga could pull on a Cardiff City shirt for the first time in Saturday’s final pre-season friendly at Bristol Rovers (15:00 BST).

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey is also expected to feature along with first-team mainstays Perry Ng, Dimitrios Goutas and Manolis Siopis.

Centre-forward Kanga joined Cardiff on a season-long loan from Hertha BSC on Tuesday and Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut must mull over whether to give him a run-out.

“Maybe the last 20 mins we will try to use him," Bulut said.

"He is behind [in terms of fitness]. He did not train with the team. He was doing individual training with the ball he did not do many things. We may keep him out we may not.”

Bulut is now happy with his attacking resources, not least because of the pre-season form of Callum Robinson, who has netted six goals.

But Ivory Coast international Kanga, who is pacy and stands at 6ft 2in, very much fits the profile of what Cardiff have been seeking to add to their forward line.

Bulut said: “Last season he played in the Belgian league with Standard Liege and scored 13 goals. He can score goals, he showed that.

“I expect goals from him, he was hard-working last season and I hope he can deliver these things this season for Cardiff City and he will be positive for the team.”

Bulut is aware that his new recruits will take time to get up to speed with those Cardiff players who have had a full pre-season with the club.

But with a number of senior players having sat out Wednesday's 2-1 friendly win over Reading at the Cardiff City Stadium, the Bluebirds boss hopes to field a more experienced line-up against Rovers at the Memorial Ground.

The likes of Ramsey had a tough morning training session on Wednesday and Bulut explained the build-up to the new season has been about monitored action for players.

Defender Calum Chambers played 45 minutes against Reading, while fellow new recruit Chris Willock played half an hour in the second half.

Bulut said: “We try to give players as many minutes as possible, especially for the young and new players because some of them came late and are not fit for 90 minutes.

“We also have to be careful of injuries. That is why we try to use the players after talks with our medical staff - we don’t want to push too much the new players.

“I think in two or three weeks they will be at the top level and can continue for 90 minutes.”

Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi, who joined in midweek, will not feature against Rovers and Bulut has made it clear the former Aston Villa player will take time to get up to speed in the new season.

Bulut said: “He has trained. We had a talk about individual training so I think he will need a minimum a month to be in a shape that he can perform for us.”

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Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut hopes Joel Colwill will follow the lead of Isaak Davies after sending the teenager out on loan.

Midfielder Colwill, 19, has joined Mike Flynn’s Cheltenham Town on a season-long loan having made five appearances for Cardiff last term.

Davies has impressed during the club’s pre-season campaign having spent last term on loan with Belgian club Kortrijk.

Bulut hopes Colwill will emulate fellow academy product Davies by developing during a spell away from the Welsh capital.

“We saw last season Isaak went for a loan, he had a great season and now he is back he delivers good football for us,” said Bulut.

“Some [other] young players will go for loans too because we want them back in a good shape. A few players will be going out, but that is the normal way in football.”

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Ipswich Town have added former Premier League defender Mark Hudson to their first team coaching staff.

The 42-year-old has been appointed as set-play and first-team coach.

Hudson made nearly 500 professional appearances as a player, representing the likes of Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town.

He began his coaching career in the Terriers' academy setup before taking caretaker charge of the first-team on two separate occasions.

The Englishman then joined Cardiff as first-team coach before being appointed manager during the 2022-23 season. He went on to spend the 2023-24 campaign coaching in the Premier League with Sheffield United.

Hudson has been working with the Ipswich squad during pre-season and flew to Germany with the group on Wednesday for the club's training camp.

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Callum Robinson took his pre-season tally up to six goals, scoring twice in Cardiff City's 2-1 victory over Reading.

Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi watched from the directors' box as a host of big guns - including Wales skipper Aaron Ramsey - were not included.

Robinson charged down an attempted clearance to give Cardiff a fourth minute lead, before Femi Azeez flashed the ball home on 12 minutes to equalise.

Former Queens Park Rangers forward Chris Willock had his first outing at the Cardiff City Stadium in the second half, being denied by two good saves. Wales midfielder Charlie Savage also entered the fray for League One Reading.

Robinson's winner came 12 minutes from time, converting a deftly curled cross from substitute Luey Giles.

Cardiff complete their pre-season preparations away to League One outfit Bristol Rovers, on Saturday.

They kick off their Championship campaign at home to Sunderland on 10 August.

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Cardiff City’s Wales Under-19 international Japhet Matondo has joined Championship rivals Stoke City for an undisclosed fee.

Matondo, younger brother of Wales winger Rabbi, has signed a two-year contract at Stoke.

The Cardiff-born 18-year-old had been part of the Bluebirds’ academy set-up since he was seven years old. He will initially join up with Stoke’s under-21 squad.

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Former Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba has announced on social media that he is the new head coach of Turkish club Adanaspor.

Bamba, 39, spent five years as a Bluebirds player before returning to the Welsh capital as assistant to ex-manager Sabri Lamouchi in 2023.

The former Ivory Coast international, who has studied his coaching badges in Wales, has been looking to move into management for some time.

He will now get his first chance as a boss with Adanaspor, who finished 14th in the Turkish second tier last season.

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New signings Chris Willock and Calum Chambers will feature for the first time in Cardiff City colours in Thursday's friendly with Hertha Berlin (17:00 BST).

Forward Willock, 26, was Cardiff’s first signing of the summer window, agreeing a three-year deal having been out of contract after four years at Queens Park Rangers.

Former Arsenal defender Chambers, 29, followed soon after having been allowed to leave Premier League club Aston Villa.

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut says both will feature against the Bundesliga 2 side at Koasastadion, St Johann in Tirol – the last game of the Bluebirds’ Austrian training camp.

Bulut said: “They are not ready to play from the start or over 45 minutes. But we will try to use them for at least the last 30 minutes.

“After that we will have two games next week where they will also get minutes and so they can get closer to the conditions of their team-mates.

“They did not train for the first two weeks so much with the team but this week they have been with the team. They have a good quality and they can add to the quality we already have in the team.”

Bulut intends to field close to the same side which kicked off Cardiff's spell in Austria with a 3-0 win over Hamburger SV.

But there will be at least one change, as Yakou Meite has a slight ankle problem and will be replaced by Isaak Davies.

Pacy forward Davies has returned to Cardiff after a loan spell at Belgian club Kortrijk.

Bulut has already said he hopes to recruit at least two more signings in the next few days, with a striker and midfield player Cardiff's priorities.

Cardiff followed up the victory over Hamburg with a 1-1 draw against South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.

Bulut believes the game against Hertha will be a step up again as preparations gather pace for the Championship opener at home to Sunderland on 10 August.

“I am happy how the team is acting," Bulut said.

"The first game we played mainly with, let’s say, the first squad, the second game was more the youngsters we want to see. Both games were positive for us.

“We would have liked to have won [against Mamelodi]. It was a tough game, good speed with a tough tempo. Hamburg was good the way we created chances."

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Cardiff City are stepping up their search to boost their striking options.

And they have shown tentative interest in Fulham’s England Under-21 striker Jay Stansfield.

The 21-year-old is on the Bluebirds’ radar after scoring 12 league goals on loan at Birmingham City in the Championship last term.

But it is reported Birmingham have opened talks to re-sign the Tiverton-born player on a permanent deal.

It also remains to be seen whether Fulham want to include the Exeter City academy product in their Premier League squad.

Cardiff are currently on a training camp in Austria, having yesterday chalked up a 3-0 win over Hamburger SV before taking on South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns, on Tuesday.

The Bluebirds are still in the hunt for Manchester City midfielder Alex Robertson, who is also wanted by Portsmouth after helping them to promotion from League One last season.

Cardiff would dearly like to add at least one new signing to their tour squad in Austria this week.

They have signed former QPR forward Chris Willock and ex-Aston Villa defender Calum Chambers so far but a striker is a known priority for the club.

It is possible the club could go for two frontmen. Cardiff's need is obvious, given their joint top scorers last season were defender Perry Ng, Karlan Grant and Kion Etete, who mustered six each.

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Manchester City midfielder Alex Robertson is on Cardiff City's radar as they seek to strengthen their squad.

Robertson, 21, had a successful loan spell at promoted Portsmouth in League One last season.

The Australia international is entering the last year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut is looking to bolster his midfield.

That need is more acute as the club are happy to listen to offers for Ryan Wintle who has not travelled on the Bluebirds' tour of Austria.

Dundee-born Robertson moved to his father Mark's native Australia, at the age of four and then joined Manchester City at under-15 level following a spell with Manchester United.

Robertson had a brief loan at Ross County in Scotland, before impressing at Portsmouth as he made 23 league appearances and scored once before a hamstring injury that required surgery and ended his season in January.

Portsmouth are understood to be keen on a reunion with Robertson after their return to the Championship.