3 players that could save Cardiff City millions of pounds | OneFootball

With the news that Erol Bulut will remain at Cardiff City recently announced, Bluebirds supporters can look forward to the 2024/25 campaign with a rare bit of optimism and stability.

The 2023/24 campaign was the first time Cardiff had gone a full season without sacking their manager since 2018/19, and Bulut began laying the foundations for future success in the Welsh capital during the latter weeks of the season.

The last three games of the season, against Southampton, Middlesbrough and Rotherham United, saw a youthful Bluebirds side take to the field, with Bulut keen to get a glimpse of the future with a number of senior players unavailable.

Heavy defeats against Boro and the Millers followed, but a win against promoted Southampton showed there are plenty of promising players coming through, and we'll likely see more of them next season.

With that in mind, here are 3 players who could save Cardiff City millions of pounds in the seasons to come...

Luey Giles

17-year-old left-back Luey Giles made his first-team breakthrough towards the end of the 2023/24 season, and it's clear that he's someone with huge potential.

The Cardiff-born defender joined the club at U9's level and has worked his way up through the academy system, being a regular for the club's U21 side this season, and was on the bench for League Cup and FA Cup ties earlier in the season.

However, he was included in a Championship matchday squad for the first time, against Southampton in April, and came on his for his debut with 13 minutes remaining, helping the club record a late win over the Saints, and he actually registered an assist in the 2-1 win.

As starts go, it couldn't have gone much better for the 17-year-old, and he made his second appearance the following week against Middlesbrough.

Being trusted to play Championship football at 17 bodes well for Giles, and with only Jamilu Collins on Cardiff's books as a recognised left-back, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the young Welshman feature more often next year.

Joel Colwill

The younger brother of first-team star Rubin, 19-year-old Joel Colwill made five first-team appearances for the Bluebirds last season, and could feature more prominently this coming season.

Both Rubin and Joel signed new five-year deals at the club last September, showing just how highly-rated the pair are, and they are both contracted to the club until the summer of 2028.

Colwill junior made his debut in a League Cup tie against Colchester last August, before making another appearance against Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the same competition a month later.

45 minutes from the bench in a 4-0 FA Cup defeat against Sheffield Wednesday came in early January, and after making a number of Championship matchday squads throughout the season, he made his league debut in April.

He featured in the Bluebirds' last two games of the season, coming off the bench against Middlesbrough and Rotherham, taking his tally to five appearances in total for the campaign.

With a contract until 2028, Cardiff fans can expect to see more of Colwill in the coming years.

Cian Ashford

Arguably the player Cardiff City supporters are most excited about, attacking midfielder Cian Ashford has already made a big impact in a Bluebirds shirt, scoring the winner in their 2-1 win over Southampton in April.

The 19-year-old came off the bench in Cardiff's last five games of the Championship season, scoring against the Saints and registering an assist against Rotherham United.

He featured in all four of the Bluebirds cup games last season, taking his tally to nine first-team appearances, and he's highly-rated at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Leeds United tried to sign him in the summer of 2021, such was his promise, but he opted to remain with his local club, and he's set to reap the rewards of that next season.

Ashford also impressed in the Welsh League Cup, with Cardiff and Swansea's U21 sides competing against Cymru Premier League sides last season, and the 19-year-old scored four goals in the Bluebirds' 4-0 win over Haverfordwest Town, a side who made it to the second round of the Europa League Conference League qualifiers last summer.

The 2023/24 season felt like a turning point for Ashford, and Cardiff supporters can expect to see more of him next year.