Cardiff City to lose two forwards as Brian Barry-Murphy rips up transfer plan
Cardiff City to lose two forwards as Brian Barry-Murphy rips up transfer plan
The Bluebirds are having to let a number of players leave before they start recruiting themselves
Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy
(Image: Cardiff City FC )
Cardiff City are set to see strikers Roko Simic and Michael Reindorf seal moves away as new head coach Brian Barry-Murphy begins to overhaul the club's summer transfer strategy.
Both forwards missed the first week of pre-season training ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with sources indicating that deals for the duo are imminent. Simic and Reindorf are expected to depart in search of regular first-team football.
The decision comes amid significant behind-the-scenes changes at the club, with Barry-Murphy beginning to impose his own vision on the squad following his appointment last week.
It is understood Cardiff had been advancing with their summer recruitment plans prior to his arrival, but those plans are now being reassessed. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.
The new head coach is believed to favour a different approach in terms of player profiles and squad structure, prompting the club to pivot from the strategy previously being pursued by the recruitment team.
Simic, who joined from Red Bull Salzburg last year, and Reindorf, a raw talent brought in after leaving Norwich City, had both been seen as part of the club's long-term project, to greater or lesser extents.
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The Croatian former youth international is currently in his homeland while discussions with a number of European clubs continue over a deal. While all options have not been ruled out, a loan seems most likely at time of writing.
Reindorf, however, endured a bizarre loan stint at Bristol Rovers at the back end of last season. He played just four times for the Gas, but was frozen out for two-and-a-half months between February and May.
After a prolific start to the season for City's under-21s, which earned him a first-team call-up, his move was a real disappointment and he will hope to enjoy a better time away this time around. He has joined Newport County on loan.
With Cardiff preparing for their first League One campaign in over two decades, Barry-Murphy is keen to reshape the squad in line with his tactical and developmental philosophy.
While Cardiff fans are understandably keen to see players come through the door with key positions still needing to be addressed — centre-back, right back and wing are areas of concern, while the midfielder profiles might be a little samey — the Bluebirds are likely to take on the season with a streamlined squad this year.
All nine out-of-contract players leave the club next week, while the two loan players they had last season, Will Alves and Sivert Mannsverk, have returned to their parent clubs.
City have seen a few first teamers come back from loan stints away — Eli King (Stevenage), Joel Colwill (Exeter City), Ryan Wintle (Millwall) and Ryotaro Tsunoda (KV Kortrijk) — however there is still a major deficit from the squad which was ultimately relegated. Add Simic and Reindorf to that exodus, too.
It leaves Cardiff with two senior strikers in the forms of Yousef Salech and Callum Robinson, while Kion Etete and Isaak Davies are also options.
But Barry-Murphy is prepared to slim down the squad and place his faith in the club's youth, it seems, while having a few transfer ideas of his own.
"My belief is the smaller the squad, within reason, the more it aligns to having a culture of improvement and players having a strong opportunity to play," he said when asked about the summer window.
"It allows the younger players the opportunity to grow and play. If we have too many players and they don't play then it's a contradiction to the way I see it.
"So have a strong squad from the players who are here, then complement it with the players coming through from the academy and the younger ones. Then, adding quality then means we can be specific on what it looks like to have an elite team in this division."
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Further ins and outs are expected over the coming weeks as the Bluebirds continue their preparations for the new season, which kicks off with a home clash against Peterborough United on August 2. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
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