Surprise Cardiff City transfer claim may make sense in two years time: View | OneFootball

Cardiff City wanting £10million for Mark McGuinness has raised eyebrows but could make sense in future

It was recently revealed that Cardiff City have slapped a £10million-plus price tag on Mark McGuinness amid transfer interest from Championship rivals.

It was reported by Wales Online that the Bluebirds want an eight-figure sum for the defender, with Luton Town said to be interested in signing the 23-year-old centre-back.

Some people may have raised their eyebrows at Cardiff demanding such a hefty fee for the player, but the Welsh side reportedly see McGuinness as a top-class Championship defender who hasn't reached his peak yet and as someone with an incredibly high ceiling, meaning he could grow into a genuine Premier League-standard defender.

With a contract at the Cardiff City Stadium until 2027, the Bluebirds are in a strong position when it comes to deciding whether to accept any offer for the Arsenal man, and their £10m-plus asking price shows that they won't be bullied into selling him.

Cardiff City's £10million Mark McGuinness demand could make sense

On the face of it, Cardiff City demanding a £10million-plus fee for McGuinness does seem excessive, but he's clearly seen as one of the club's main assets, and they're protecting themselves by placing such a high price tag on him.

Wales Online have reported that the Bluebirds do not need to sell the 23-year-old, which puts them in a strong position to demand a big fee, and means it's a win-win for Cardiff. If the club don't receive an appropriate offer, they get to keep the defender, if someone offers £10m-plus, they receive a huge transfer fee which could be reinvested into the squad.

At 23, McGuinness is only likely to get better in the coming seasons, so if Cardiff sold him for less than £10million they could have huge regret they didn't hold out for more money.

You only have to look at other examples of Championship clubs selling their assets for what seemed like decent money at the time, only to realise they could have probably made more money in the aftermath. Adam Wharton sealed an £18.5million move from Blackburn to Crystal Palace in January, which now seems like a bargain just a couple of months later.

McGuinness clearly isn't as talented as Wharton, but the point is that if Cardiff sold him for a fee they perceive to be satisfactory now, they could regret it in the future.

In two years' time, McGuinness could be a genuine Premier League standard player worth a lot of money and Cardiff would regret selling him on the cheap. With a long contract and no need to sell, the Bluebirds putting a £10m-plus asking price on the 23-year-old is good business, and they should be commended for it.

Mark McGuinness could have a huge future at Cardiff City

Since joining ahead of the 2020/21 season from Arsenal, the Republic of Ireland age-grade international has made 85 appearances for the Bluebirds, and he's set for a big 2024/25 season.

He's set to face stiff competition from Callum Chambers and Dimitros Goutas for a place in the starting XI, but the fact the club have slapped such a big price tag on him suggests that he'll feature prominently this season.

It's easy to forget that McGuinness is only 23, and he's shown all the attributes needed to become an elite centre-half in the future, and is clearly someone who can make the club a lot of money.

He even looks like someone that could one day be club captain at the Cardiff City Stadium, and it's easy to see why Erol Bulut wants to keep him at the club so much.

Whilst fans of other Championship clubs might think Cardiff are being unrealistic by asking for £10million, the Bluebirds feel he's worth that, and that's all that matters when it comes to setting a price.