Cardiff City boost as Kieffer Moore stance revealed amid Leeds, Sunderland and Ipswich links | OneFootball

The battle to sign Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore in January is going to be hotly contested but Cardiff City have been handed a boost by after the player's stance was revealed.

Even going back to the summer transfer window, Moore was wanted by teams in the second division of English football. One of those main contenders to sign him were Cardiff, and they made no attempt to hide their interest, according to Wales Online. The Bluebirds weren't able to get a deal done because of the transfer embargo that was placed on them at the time, as they wanted a loan deal, whereas Bournemouth preferred to sell him.

Moore's club have played 19 games so far in the Premier League, in the 2023/24 campaign. Moore has featured in just seven of them, and he hasn't started one league game for the Cherries this season. Manager Andoni Iraola has admitted that some players aren't happy with their game time, and, as per Wales Online, they will likely leave this month.

This news pricked up the ears of Cardiff and many other Championship clubs, but they aren't the only ones interested, according to reports.

Kieffer Moore keen on Cardiff return

Darren Witcoop, the Sports News Editor for the Sunday Mirror, has said that up to seven second tier sides want to bring in the Welsh striker in January.

As well as Cardiff, four other clubs are believed to be interested: Sunderland, Leeds United, Ipswich Town, and Norwich City, as per Witcoop.

The Sun's Alan Nixon has reported that Sunderland are the team that currently lead the race to sign the 31-year-old. A move like this isn't in keeping with their usual transfer strategy of buying young players with lots of potential, but Nixon has said that the club are willing to move away from the plan in their pursuit of a number nine.

The journalist added that Moore is not the only older striker that the Black Cats are looking at. Blackburn Rovers' Sam Gallagher has emerged as an option for Michael Beale's side, as per Nixon.

With all that being said, it appears like Moore himself would rather move to somewhere else.

As per Witcoop, the Welsh international is favouring a return to Cardiff. Moore originally joined the Bluebirds in the summer of 2020, and was a major success for the club. He scored 20 goals in 42 league games for the club, and was eventually sold to Bournemouth on the final day of the January window, in 2022, for an initial £3.5 million fee, that could rise to £5 million with performance-related add-ons, according to Dorset Live. The Bluebirds originally quoted a £10 million price-tag for Moore in that January window.

With the striker preferring a move to Wales, this could force the Teessiders of the race for him to switch their attention to Gallagher. They've already had one highly wanted striker turn them down this season, when Birmingham City striker Jay Stansfield chose a loan move to the midlands, rather than the Stadium of Light, due to geographical reasons, as per Chronicle Live.

Plenty to weigh up for Kieffer Moore

Considering how tightly Sunderland have stuck to their transfer strategy, since the change in majority ownership, a move for someone like Moore would be a very short-term one for both player and club. Now, this may work for both parties, due to the club's need for a prolific striker, and Moore's age. But he could easily be shelved quickly by the hierarchy at the Stadium of Light, if he doesn't hit the ground running.

Sentimentality would suggest a return to Cardiff would be the right one, especially when you consider the blistering form he was in when he was last with the club. But, he may be tempted by still being able to play Premier League football, and the likes of Sunderland, Leeds and Ipswich will give him a better chance of that than the Bluebirds will.

On the other hand, he could just look to maximise the last years of his career. Nixon did say that he thinks the striker will go: "where the best financial deal is." That could make him think twice about a return to Cardiff.