Former Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra has warned the Bluebirds they could face a fight to keep hold of Jack Moylan in the January transfer window following the Irishman's sensational start to life in the Welsh capital.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation since arriving from Lincoln City in the summer and produced arguably his finest performance yet on Wednesday night, scoring a stunning first-half hat-trick against West Ham United.
Hat-trick heroics against West Ham
Moylan's treble, comprising a 25-yard stunner, a penalty and a header, put Brian Barry-Murphy's side 3-0 up at the break against Scott Parker's Hammers, only for the visitors to stage a remarkable second-half comeback and salvage a 3-3 draw.
Nevertheless, the Republic of Ireland international's individual brilliance was the major talking point after the game, with his remarkable goalscoring form prompting questions over how long Cardiff will be able to keep him.
And former Bluebirds striker Chopra, who remains a popular figure among supporters, believes the club could have a battle on its hands when the transfer window reopens.
Chopra's warning and fan reaction
Writing on X, Chopra said: "Said it a couple months ago Jack Moylan is some player. A first half hat trick unbelievable. Cardiff City going to have a fight to keep hold of him in January."
It is a concern that has been echoed by some supporters, with Moylan rapidly establishing himself as arguably Cardiff's most important player.
One fan replied to Chopra: "Difference between Cardiff pushing for top half and being dragged into a relegation battle. Nobody else in that team has that level of quality in front of goal."
Another added: "I'm worried like you Michael he has come in and really lifted the club up players and fans we have really got to try and hold on to him our season will have a real bad hit if he goes."
Others were more optimistic about Cardiff's chances of retaining their star man.
"He's under a long contract, so only a very big offer will take him away," one supporter pointed out.
Meanwhile, one Lincoln City supporter, who witnessed Moylan's talents first-hand last season, wrote: "Single handed won us games at Lincoln last season. Amazing footballer and hope he gets all the way to the Premier League. Would look good in a Tottenham shirt."
Other fans suggested Everton, Newcastle United and Celtic as potential destinations, although there is currently no indication that any of those clubs are preparing a move for the Irishman.
Contract position and form
Indeed, Cardiff are in a relatively strong position when it comes to Moylan's future. The attacking midfielder signed a four-year contract upon his arrival in August, tying him to the club until the summer of 2030.
That means the Bluebirds are under no immediate pressure to sell and would be able to demand a significant fee should any interest materialise.
Nevertheless, Moylan's performances are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Having scored 11 goals in 31 League One appearances for Lincoln last season, the Dubliner has made the step up to the Championship look remarkably straightforward.
Operating in both an attacking midfield role and as centre-forward, Barry-Murphy has managed to add another dimension to Cardiff's attack this season.
His hat-trick against West Ham took him into double figures for the Bluebirds in all competitions and provided another compelling demonstration of his ability to score goals in a variety of ways.
Moylan on his form and the draw
Speaking after Wednesday's draw, Moylan admitted his current purple patch had surpassed even his own expectations.
"It's what you dream of," he said. "I didn't think it was this realistic to be in such a good run of form, but I'm staying fit, trying to look after myself off the pitch, doing everything I can so that Saturdays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays come around, that I'm feeling really good.
"It helps when you're playing in such a good team, coached by unbelievable staff, and then to have a packed-out stadium on a Wednesday night - it's not that hard to get up for it! It makes my life a lot easier."
Moylan also offered an insight into the work behind his spectacular opening goal against the Hammers, revealing that extra shooting practice with Cardiff's goalkeepers had helped him perfect the technique.
"With the three keepers, we do a lot of shooting on Thursdays and Fridays and it's been getting really competitive - we've been winding each other up!" he explained.
"I've always practiced that one of coming inside and cutting across the ball. It's one I've really liked, and they don't always go in like that, but I think when it left my boot straight away, I knew. I could see it rising straight in, it was a good feeling."
Despite his individual heroics, Moylan was frustrated that Cardiff had surrendered their commanding advantage against the Hammers.
"This morning, you'd take a point, I think everybody in the stadium does, but at half time we've got to win the game," he admitted.
"It's frustrating, but we've got to get on with it, we can't feel sorry for ourselves. Saturday is an even bigger game, so we'll try and do it again.
"We all knew it was coming, and that's probably the more annoying part. They're the best team in the league, aren't they - they've got the best players in the league, their manager now is a proven Championship winner.
"In fairness, when it got to 3-3 with 15 minutes left, we actually did really well to see the game out when they were putting balls into the box."
Moylan's performances have also been recognised on the international stage, with the forward named in Heimir Hallgrímsson's Republic of Ireland squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Austria and Kosovo.
For Cardiff, the immediate priority will be ensuring their talisman continues producing the goods as Barry-Murphy's side look to climb the Championship table.
The January transfer window is still several weeks away and if he continues scoring at his current rate, Chopra's warning may prove increasingly pertinent.
For a Cardiff side looking to build something under Barry-Murphy, keeping hold of their outstanding summer signing could be every bit as important as any new arrivals in January.
