Cardiff City could face competition from Sheffield Wednesday in their bid to bring Calum Scanlon back to the club, according to a report from the Daily Mail. The Liverpool defender, who spent the second half of last season on loan with the Bluebirds, is reportedly attracting interest from a number of clubs after impressing during the Premier League side's pre-season preparations.
The Daily Mail reports that Sheffield Wednesday are making a concerted effort to sign Scanlon on loan for the upcoming campaign, but Cardiff are also among the clubs interested in the 21-year-old. The development comes just days after Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy admitted that strengthening at left-back was an area the club needed to address.
Scanlon's loan spell and current situation
Joel Bagan is currently the only recognised senior left-back in Cardiff's squad, and a knock he took during Saturday's Carabao Cup victory over Swindon Town offered a slight scare and further underlined the need for cover. Asked by WalesOnline whether left-back was an area Cardiff would be looking to strengthen, Barry-Murphy replied: "I think you're right. Good judge."
Scanlon joined Cardiff on loan in January after recovering from a serious hamstring injury and made eight appearances during the second half of the season. The England Under-20 international played a supporting role as the Bluebirds secured automatic promotion back to the Championship, although only two of his eight appearances came as starts due to the stellar form of Joel Bagan. He had previously spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Championship side Millwall, where his season was disrupted by injury.
Scanlon has made two senior appearances for Liverpool since making his debut against Toulouse in October 2023, and the Reds are now weighing up the best next step in his development. For Cardiff, the prospect of Scanlon returning would provide competition for Bagan while also offering Barry-Murphy another versatile defensive option.
Barry-Murphy on squad depth
The Bluebirds boss has already made it clear that further recruitment is required, with Cardiff having added only Nathan Trott and Jack Moylan to their first-team squad this summer. "I think we need new players. I think we need additions," Barry-Murphy said after the Swindon game. "You saw how stretched we are in terms of numbers today, and that's even if the players who are injured were fit. We're very conscious that we have to strengthen the squad."
Tony Pulis believes Brian Barry-Murphy will find life significantly tougher at Cardiff City this season despite the head coach enjoying a "great" first year in charge. The former Stoke City boss has backed the Bluebirds to benefit from their relegation to League One, but believes Barry-Murphy's footballing principles will face a much sterner examination following Cardiff's immediate promotion back to the Championship.
Pulis on Cardiff's potential
Barry-Murphy guided Cardiff to the League One title last season, securing promotion with a club-record 91 points and implementing a distinctive possession-based style. Pulis, speaking to Midnite's Built Different Index, admitted he does not know Barry-Murphy personally but has been impressed by what he achieved during his first campaign in charge. "I don't know Brian Barry-Murphy, I've got to be honest, but their results have been great," Pulis said. "They had a successful season last year, but he'll find it tougher this year. Again, I'm not sure how he will approach it. He seems very set on a certain way of playing and set on his principles, so that will be an interesting one."
Pulis believes Barry-Murphy could quickly win over Cardiff supporters if the Bluebirds make a strong start to the Championship campaign. He also pointed to the enormous potential at the club, given Cardiff's status as the only professional football club in the Welsh capital. "It's a massive club with so much potential down there," he said. "When you think about it being the only football club in that city and on that side of the valleys, the catchment area is unbelievable. So if he gets it going, he'll certainly get real support there."
Pulis on relegation and reset
Pulis also offered an interesting perspective on Cardiff's relegation from the Championship in 2025, suggesting the club may ultimately have needed to take that step backwards to rebuild. The Bluebirds bounced straight back under Barry-Murphy and have since undergone significant changes both on and off the pitch. Pulis believes Leicester City, who were relegated from the Championship last season, could now look at Cardiff as an example of how dropping down a division can provide an opportunity to reset. "If you look at it, they probably needed to go down to clear things out and start again," he said. "A club like Leicester might be looking at that and thinking, 'I know we've gone down, but it gives us a chance now to clear everything out and start again.' Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forward."
*The quotes were provided by Midnite, whose Built Different Index ranks all 92 clubs across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.
Ashford thrives in central role
Cian Ashford is relishing the opportunity to play in a more central role for Cardiff City after catching the eye in their Carabao Cup victory over Swindon Town. The 21-year-old impressed in the 3-2 win at Cardiff City Stadium, providing the assist for Yousef Salech's second goal and seeing an effort come back off the crossbar. Ashford has spent much of his Cardiff first-team career operating on the wing, despite playing centrally throughout much of his time in the academy.
Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy described him as the "best player" on the pitch against Swindon and was indeed WalesOnline's star man in the ratings, too, and Ashford admitted he was pleased with his performance. "I enjoyed the game, I felt like I got a lot of the ball," he said. "I know it was a ropey game towards the end but I'm pleased with my performance personally and glad the gaffer thought so too. I feel as if I've adapted really quickly, I used to play there in the past so I feel it's quite natural for me. But I'm happy to play anywhere as long as I'm out there on the pitch."
Competition for places
Ashford's form comes with competition for the attacking midfield role increasing at Cardiff. Wales international Rubin Colwill remains an important option when fit despite currently recovering from an ankle injury, while new signing Jack Moylan made an immediate impact by scoring the winner against Swindon. Ashford insists that competition will be vital as Cardiff return to the Championship. "Healthy competition is what we're going to need with the standard of the Championship," he said. "We all have to be at our best for the full season. The gaffer wants us to keep playing the same way with the same attitude from minute one to minute 90. We're going to be really positive, take the confidence and belief from last year and see where it takes us."
