Cardiff City urged to plot Rangers, Sunderland AFC transfer raids - Ibrox forward would be "unreal" | OneFootball

The Bluebirds haven't been splashing the cash so far in this transfer window.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Cardiff City's encouraging start to the new campaign would only be boosted by some extra additions to Brian Barry-Murphy's squad.

The new head coach hasn't been dealt the best of hands upon his arrival to the Welsh capital, with Cardiff keeping incomings to a minimum compared to the recent teams that have come down from the Championship to League One.

A win and a draw in the league combined with victory in the first round of the EFL Cup is no bad way for the Irishman to get started with life in Cardiff, but there is certainly room for improvement and supporters hope that will be facilitated by sourcing a number of incomings before the window is up.

Cardiff have made just one signing in the form of Nathan Trott's loan arrival from FC Copenhagen, a deal which can be made permanent if promotion is achieved, while letting a raft of senior players go amid a squad rebuild under Barry-Murphy.

Cardiff City told to sign Rabbi Matondo and Aji Alese on loan

How much money the club has in reserve to use over the last couple of weeks or so of the window remains to be seen. The seemingly most likely outcome is that the Bluebirds will, again, venture into the loan market. That doesn't, though, mean that they can't be bold with these temporary deals.

If possible, Football League World's Cardiff fan pundit, Matt Hall, would like to see his side make moves for Welsh international winger Rabbi Matondo and Sunderland defender Ajibola Alese. Both players aren't likely to get a tonne of minutes for their parent club in this campaign, which could make the potential opportunity waiting for them with City an intriguing one.

Matondo, of course, came through the ranks at Cardiff before signing for Manchester City as a teenager and has since gone on to become a full Welsh international, although he finds himself out of favour at Rangers these days and, given the Bluebirds' clear need for reinforcements out wide, the speedy winger would fit the bill.

Alese, meanwhile, has impressed when fit at Sunderland, but availability has been an issue for the versatile defender in recent times and it's difficult to see where he figures on Wearside following the Mackems' promotion to the Premier League.

But, with Cardiff firmly in the market for added defensive options amid Jesper Daland's impending exit, Alese represents a logical target if he's willing to make the drop to League One.

"It's obviously quite hard at the moment to try and come up with players who would be good to sign for us because we just don't know specifically the market that we're in for," said Hall.

"I mean, we can sort of take a guess that they're going to be younger players who have got technical skills as well as being a decent physical level. So it was quite hard to put names to it.

"I think I have two names that I could really think of. One of them in particular would really excite me, and I'll start with that one. I think it would be Rabbi Matondo. I think if you look at Rabbi Matondo as a player, he's a player in desperate need of a home.

"You think of Sorba Thomas, Lewis Koumas and players like that who have sort of leapfrogged him a little bit in the Wales setup because they found themselves somewhere settled to play. And really, I think that's what he is in desperate need of.

"It's a World Cup year. There is a selling point of it being in a World Cup year. He isn't going to get into the World Cup squad by not playing at all, and a lot of his competition for the fringe places are going to be maybe some of the younger players that are here already at Cardiff.

"I feel like he would potentially be interested in coming back here. Maybe it's a bit lower level than you would expect him to have, but we're in desperate need of a touchline winger that's really pacey, that can dribble one-on-one and provide a good cross. And at League One level, I think he'd be unreal at that.

"A good season back in the capital of Wales would definitely get him noticed by Craig Bellamy. I feel like that would be a good signing for us.

"In terms of another signing, it would be it would be someone that I have looked at before, before they signed for this club, and it would be Aji Alese at Sunderland. Injury record, not so brilliant. However, he is a left-footed player, quite tall centre-half that can play left back.

"He, I believe, was at the West Ham academy alongside Nathan Trott, who he signed from Copenhagen. I think we're looking at a player really, that we need a left-footed centre-half. Jesper Daland is on his way out. We haven't got anyone who can play comfortably on that left side.

"We also have no cover for Joel Bagan, so it would be an option that would cover both of those roles.

"Obviously, with Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, there is very little chance that he [Alese] is going to play.

"It could be argued that he would probably benefit from being in the Championship, but as a side towards the top end of League One, you would like to think that he would come and play quite significantly and they would be attracted to it, especially the style of play that we have would really suit him.

"There was absolutely no rumours that we would go for him, same with Matondo, but those would be two domestic loan choices that I would go for if we could get them.

"And you never know we could be able to get an option to buy like Nathan Trott, which I think for us is really important if we can try and get options to buy on our loans."

Cardiff should try to be bold in the transfer market

While certainly ambitious, two signings of this nature would help to address some holes that Cardiff have in their team. The appeal of a return to the Welsh capital, where he grew up, could be a big pulling factor for Matondo. Rangers, who haven't used him this season, won't mind letting him leave, as they did at the end of last term.

Alese is definitely a Championship quality player, so convincing him to come to a third tier side may be tough. That shouldn't stop Cardiff, though, if they want someone of his calibre.

Both deals would make a great deal of sense and could serve as respective statements of intent, which you do feel Cardiff perhaps need to pull off in order to truly lay down their marker as a side capable of going all the way this season.

Potential promotion rivals such as Huddersfield Town, Luton and Stockport County have all made ambitious plays throughout the summer, and while the existing core of City's squad is undeniably strong, it still requires work in a handful of crucial areas and Matondo and Alese would both tick some big boxes.