Cardiff City transfer prediction made on Ronan Kpakio as Bluebirds urged to take action | OneFootball

FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit has given his verdict on potential transfer interest in Ronan Kpakio

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…

Ronan Kpakio has emerged as an exciting young talent at Cardiff City as they eye promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt, and if his performances continue, there's likely going to be transfer interest in the teenager.

The Bluebirds hired Brian Barry-Murphy over the summer, who has a reputation for working well with younger players from his time as the head coach of Man City's under-21's.

His possession-based style is going to see Cardiff dominate possession in most games, and with one of his key players Perry Ng missing in the opening parts of the season, 18-year-old Kpakio was handed a start on the opening day of the season against Peterborough, and he even scored the winner in that match for his maiden professional goal.

Ronan Kpakio claim issued amid expected Cardiff City transfer interest

When asked if he’s worried about Kpakio gaining transfer interest, FLW’s Cardiff fan pundit Matt Hall claimed that he is hopeful the club won’t be rushing to cash in on their top talent anymore.

He believes a new contract will be in order, and that the full-back is better off staying with the League One side in order to remain in sight of Wales manager Craig Bellamy, having been called up in June to the Cymru squad.

“I think it’s always a concern that a player like Ronan Kpakio could always move on,” Hall told Football League World.

“We’re a club who are notorious over the last few years for accepting the pay packages rather than the talent, and often selling them way too early before we can even get the best amount of money for them.

“However, I have a confidence that we won’t be going down that route again now.

“There is a belief in having this conveyor belt of players, having them play for Cardiff, having them be a big player for club and country.

“And at this stage of Kpakio’s career, I think the next move will be to get him a new contract, and not to be moving him on.

“He’s got to look at it this way, we’re at the top end of League One, he’s got a really open spot in that right-back position if he can consistently play week-in and week-out, like he will do for a top end League One side, playing a style of football that suits him, it will only get him the attention of Craig Bellamy more than it would him signing for a Brentford and being part of their B team, that isn’t going to get him picked - and it wouldn’t be worth it for us either.

“So, main priority is getting him signed up to a new deal.

“I do think we’ll keep hold of him because, not only have we got Brian Barry-Murphy for the reason of backing these players, it seems to be a hierarchy thing, it’s something that the board have bought into now.”

Cardiff City can’t be cashing in on the likes of Ronan Kpakio but Perry Ng threat looms

Kpakio is emerging as a really exciting talent, and is someone who is benefitting from the club dropping into League One, but how much longer he will be starting for week in, week out remains to be seen.

Regular minutes at this level this season is the best move for Kpakio instead of trying to move up the football pyramid with a transfer where he might not get the same level of game-time, but Perry Ng recovering from injury means that there may be a situation where the Welsh teen's minutes reduce - unless Barry-Murphy can fit them both in the same starting 11.

Cardiff have a lot of exciting young talent coming through, and the club have to nurture them and give them that pathway to first team football instead of trying to cash in at the first opportunity.

It is clear a change in strategy was needed after how disastrous the last few years have been, so it’s been a positive start to life for Barry-Murphy with the likes of Kpakio coming through, but it remains to be seen if it'll last.