Kasey McAteer joins: 2 signings Cardiff City should try make before Sunderland match on August 10th | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at two signings Cardiff should look to make before their upcoming Championship opener

Highlights

Cardiff City have enjoyed a proactive summer transfer window to date.

The Bluebirds have made a series of exciting captures including Anwar El Ghazi and Chris Willock, but further signings would help if they want to start the season strong when Sunderland come to town on August 10.

With that in mind, Football League World has decided to take a look at two signings Cardiff should look to make before welcoming the Black Cats to the Welsh capital for their Championship curtain-raiser on Saturday afternoon.

Kasey McAteer

Leicester City winger Kasey McAteer has been on Cardiff's radar for quite some time and they still remain interested, according to a recent report from BBC Sport Wales.

McAteer would likely be a loan and Cardiff are said to face competition from Hull City for the attacker, who scored six times in the Championship as Leicester City clinched promotion as champions last term.

Despite signing Willock and El Ghazi, Cardiff would still benefit from added options in wide areas. McAteer is perhaps more direct than the two arrivals, which would help Cardiff in transition. He's a pacier option and, possibly with the exception of Ollie Tanner, they simply don't have any wingers with outstanding pace to drive at opposition full-backs.

It would be somewhat surprising to see Cardiff land the deal before Saturday's much-anticipated opener given the interest in Hull and that the move hasn't already been wrapped up yet. However, it would be an undoubted boost if they could pull a rabbit out of the hat and get McAteer to Cardiff in the coming days.

Scott McKenna

Cardiff are also reportedly in for commanding central defender Scott McKenna, who remains a free agent following his departure from Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.

The caveat is that La Liga side Las Palmas remain the frontrunners for his signature, but Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams has informed supporters that the situation could change, and the potential signing doesn't appear to be off the cards just yet.

McKenna spent the second half of last season on loan with FC København of Denmark, facing off against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.

Like McAteer, the 38-cap Scottish international boasts encouraging top-end credentials at this level after proving a vital component at the heart of Forest's backline in their 2021/22 promotion through the play-offs. Indeed, if Cardiff were to sign McKenna, he would become the third signing of the summer to have previously achieved promotion from the Championship.

It's likely that he's envisaged as a potential replacement for Mark McGuinness, who Cardiff have valued at a whopping £10m amid interest from Luton Town following their relegation from the top-flight last term.

There are moving parts at play regarding McKenna's potential arrival in the Welsh capital. It's not yet completely clear whether any deal will go through before the potential sale of McGuinness either, although it would represent business if Cardiff can get close to eight figures for the Irish defender while snapping up McKenna on a free.

This one also hangs very much in the balance, but what a boost it would be for Cardiff if they can get at least one of the two - if not both - in for Sunderland. Even if they have to wait beyond this weekend, though, these two signings should be a priority heading into the closing stages of the window.