Cardiff City: Academy product set to leave as York City fee agreed | OneFootball

The Bluebirds have already started to get some business done.

Cardiff City have agreed a fee with York City for the sale of 22-year-old defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott, according to Pete O'Rourke.

Much uncertainty still remains at the Cardiff City Stadium as we get nearer and nearer to the opening of the January transfer window.

Omer Riza is still in charge on an interim basis, 10 games on from Erol Bulut's departure. There is no obvious sign that points to where they are going to go with their next permanent boss, but it looks like the Turk will remain at the helm.

Whatever they decide to do will have an impact on their business in the new year. Players will need to be added to help Cardiff get out of the relegation battle that they find themselves in.

Even with this instability, City have started to put together some deals, but not ones that will see additions be made to Riza's squad.

Cardiff agree Malachi Fagan-Walcott deal with York City

The Bluebirds have agreed a deal with York to sell Fagan-Walcott to the National League side, as per O'Rourke. The former Tottenham Hotspur academy member has been on loan with the Minstermen since September.

His strong performances in this campaign have led to York wanting to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent basis, according to the Football Insider journalist, and the two parties have reportedly reached a consensus on an appropriate fee for the defender.

Fagan-Walcott has started all but one of York's games since joining just after the transfer window closed for professional clubs. Because they are in the National League, City could make signings outside of the window.

He recorded his first assist for the club, who top the National League, as things stand, in their most recent match - a 4-0 win over Yeovil Town. This came just under a month on from his first goal for York, which came in a 2-1 comeback victory over Halifax Town in which Adam Hinshelwood's side trailed by a goal to nil in the 90th minute.

The deal that originally saw Fagan-Walcott join York was a season-long loan. It was not stated in O'Rourke's report whether the defender would make the permanent switch in January, or whether it would come at the end of his scheduled temporary spell.

One player who has been tipped by the temporary manager for a January exit is Cian Ashford.

The bright, young Cardiff talent hasn't had much first-team involvement this season, and the solution may be to send him somewhere else for the rest of the season when the new year comes.

Cardiff City are showing signs of smart business with Malachi Fagan-Walcott deal

When Fagan-Walcott initially joined the club, in the summer of 2023, he signed a deal that would take him until the end of that season. His deal was extended in the summer just gone when the club triggered an option to do so.

Given that they signed him as a free agent initially, and the small chance of properly breaking into the first-team, this is a great bit of business by the Bluebirds. They won't receive a huge fee for the 22-year-old, but it all adds up and should give them a slight financial boost down the road.