Cardiff City lining up transfer move for former Aston Villa forward | OneFootball

Cardiff City are interested in signing Anwar El Ghazi, who is expected to be available on a free transfer as he prepares to leave Mainz.

Highlights

Cardiff City are interested in signing Anwar El Ghazi, although any deal may have to wait until he has sorted his contractual issues with Mainz.

The 29-year-old is expected to terminate his deal with the Bundesliga club, which would mean he is a free agent ahead of the 2023/24 season.

And, the Sky Sports Transfer Centre (12:38) has revealed that El Ghazi is a target for the Bluebirds, as they continue to strengthen Erol Bulut’s squad this summer.

Cardiff City keen on Anwar El Ghazi

However, it has been stated by journalist Glen Williams that any deal is ‘complicated and by no means done’, which is due to El Ghazi’s dispute with Mainz.

He had his contract terminated by Mainz last year due to social media posts over the Israel-Gaza conflict, with the player taking the club to court, and they ruled in his favour earlier this month.

So, there are still issues to sort, as El Ghazi technically had his contract extended after Mainz remained in the top-flight.

Anwar El Ghazi could improve Cardiff City on the pitch

From a football perspective, this is a deal that the Welsh side will surely hope happens, as El Ghazi is a player who has the ability to make a big difference in the Championship.

Firstly, his versatility would be welcome, as the twice-capped Dutch international is capable of playing down either flank, and he could also feature in a central role as well.

We know that scoring goals was a major problem for Cardiff last season, and Bulut has made no secret of his desire to sign attacking reinforcements.

El Ghazi would help on that front, both with his creativity and his goals, as he has regularly chipped in at various clubs over the years, with most of his football played at a higher level than the Championship.

When you add in that he’s a free agent, it’s a relatively low-risk move for Cardiff, and it could pay off spectacularly if he does do well.

Anwar El Ghazi will have a point to prove

Without going into El Ghazi’s issue with Mainz, the reality is that it has prevented him from playing competitive football since October last year, which will surely be a huge frustration to the player.

At 29, he is in his peak years, and he should still have a lot to offer, but his career has been on hold for the best part of ten months already.

Therefore, he will surely be desperate to get back out playing week in, week out, and that means Cardiff could land a motivated individual who is keen to prove he is still a quality operator.

Cardiff City summer transfer plans

It’s been a productive summer for Cardiff so far, with Calum Chambers and Chris Willock looking like shrewd additions on free transfers.

But, it’s still clear that Bulut needs more through the door, as he looks to build a team that is capable of challenging for a play-off place.

So, an interesting few weeks lie ahead for Cardiff, who start their Championship season at home to Sunderland on August 10.