Sunday press chatter

Managerless Cardiff City is today being linked with Sheffield United striker Ched Evans which leaves me thinking who is interested if not the manager we haven't got yet, the board. He has been linked before with the Bluebirds this time it sounds like a rehash of an old story or an agent drumming up some interest. He is up for grabs with Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray favourite to land the £1.2 million priced striker.

Could ex-Cardiff boss Dave Jones have the last laugh and end up in the Premier League the Rumour Mill has him linked with the Fulham job. Although there are some big names in front of him the Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed is a mind to himself and unpredictable. I don't think he will get the call from Chelsea.

Cardiff City's ex-loan striker Craig Bellamy has been linked to a number of clubs in the press today it is reported to in the mind of Celtic boss Neil Lennon who in the Sunday People are rumoured to what to take him back to Parkhead where he spent time on loan a few years back. There is nothing better for Lennon then doing a bit of shopping with Cardiff City leftovers.

On Bellamy there is a story in the News of the World the Manchester City would like to see him and four other players leave and weighing up whether to rip up the contracts and let them go on free transfers.

Recently relegated Birmingham City believe ex-Cardiff player Chris Burke who was released at the end of the season is a possible replacement for Sebastian Larsson. Manager Alex McLeish is looking for someone and Burke could fit the bill, he played for McLeish at Rangers before the midfielder moved down south.

Bothroyd wanted at Cardiff

A wanted man??

Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd has express his desire to stay with the Bluebirds until the summer. That should close a few cheque books and make manager Dave Jones happy has he sees Bothroyd as an integral part of his promotion push.

So the die is cast, Bothroyd will go free if Cardiff fail to win promotion. Dave Jones would like to resign him but I don’t thing there is a Cardiff fan who expects him to sign for another season if it happens to be the Championship again. It has been his goals that have help Cardiff stay at the top of the table. There would be no guarantee he would sign anyway if Cardiff were to win promotion. It could be the last chance for the 28-year-old striker  Bothroyd to play in the Premiership and have one last big payday.

A lot of teams will be knocking at his door for sure in the summer, that is if no-one puts a bid in over the next few weeks at tempts the Cardiff board into a sale. A club interested in the City striker could try to agree a pre-contract deal which could be beneficial to Cardiff City because it would put an end to all the speculation there is bound to be until the end of the season.

Bothroyd is rumoured not to be fit to return to the starting line-up for the visit to Stoke on Saturday in the FA Cup 3rd round fixture. The next league game is the foollowing Saturday Norwich away, a massive game with second place (Cardiff) v Third place (Norwich) and it is hoped Bothroyd will be fit for that game.

Damn rumours

More transfer rumours surrounding the Bluebirds, Blackburn must have Jay Bothroyd according to Click Lancashire.

The rumours will pitter out and they will have added to the list of possible suitors. Cardiff City has not heard anything from any of the clubs about signing Bothroyd. Jones told the BBC.

"We have had no contact from any club for Jay.

“I’ve heard Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Fulham all linked with him but we haven’t had one telephone call for any senior player at this football club.

"The only contact we’ve had is for younger players to go out on loan. The speculation does not bother me but all the clubs know our numbers here.

"If I was after a player then we would contact the club and do the proper things. Jay has said he is happy here so we just have to live with the speculation."

On who could be coming in rumour, two new names have been thrown into the transfer ring Liverpool centre-half Danny Wilson and centre-half Winston Reid from West Ham.

The source of the story linking the two centre-half is ‘Goal.com UK’ who are suggesting City boss Dave Jones has missed out on Tottenham’s Jonathan Woodgate and Bolton's Andy O’Brien who sign for Leeds and likely to miss out on Millwall Danny Shittu as the competition for his signature.

Liverpool has recently tried to recall a loaned out player unsuccessfully and with trouble with the defence Anfield boss Roy Hodgson maybe be reluctant to loan out Wilson. Of the two Jones could have better luck with bringing Winston Reid to Cardiff, but is Dave Jones interested.