City Trio Set for January Loans as Barry-Murphy Maps Academy Pathway

Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy has detailed some insight into the club’s plans for their academy and fringe first-team players, with a promising trio of youngsters likely to go out on loan in January.

Following City’s 5-1 EFL Trophy exit to A.F.C. Wimbledon, Barry-Murphy has had time to assess and confirmed that the young trio of Dakarai Mafico, Tanatswa Nyakuhwa and Luey Giles are all increasingly likely candidates to leave on a six-month loan to gain more experience.

On those three, the Irishman explained, “They haven’t had enough game time to consolidate what they’ve been doing in training, so as such actively we’ll be looking to get those players the right loan moves to continue their development and progress.”

The other younger players who featured heavily in the Bluebirds' EFL Trophy campaign will continue to be monitored by academy manager Gavin Chesterfield, who manages the development pathway and liaises on loan arrangements.

Players such as Luke Armstrong, Isaac Jefferies and Morgan Wigley are all examples of the club’s approach to giving younger talents competitive senior experience at the Welsh Premier League level.

Meanwhile, Will Spiers has progressed well on his youth loan at National League North side Merthyr Town, registering four assists in nine games.

The final youth loan has seen 21-year-old Michael Reindorf plying his trade on loan at League 2 side Newport County, making 22 appearances across all competitions so far this season.

Barry-Murphy also notably addressed speculation of Swedish reports linking City to Camil Jebara, a 22-year-old right winger currently on loan at IF Elfsborg from Kalmar FF.

“I know who he is, but he’s not our player so I don’t think I should say any comment on him,” he admitted. When pushed on the club making contact with the player, he said, “That is not the case, no.”

When asked about potential offers for high-ceiling talents in January, the likes of Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor already attracting notable interest, Barry-Murphy made it clear that his priority is player development, rather than transfer dealings.

“I don’t send any messages to the hierarchy, they send messages to me... My business is trying to improve the players and concentrate on that, my focus is to look after the players and not get distracted by stuff that may or may not happen,” he claimed.

The former Manchester City Under-21s coach emphasised that at a club of Cardiff City’s size, the key is to ensure that young talents see a benefit in remaining at their hometown club, developing through regular first-team football when they are fully prepared.

“We believe in all our young players... if they’re good enough, and they train well enough and play well enough, they will play for us at first team level, which is big!”

This is reflected in the performances of two of the club’s brightest young talents, teenagers Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor, who have become regulars in the first XI this season.

Kpakio, the joint top assister in League One this season from RB, meanwhile, Lawlor has drawn interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world, such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United, according to reports.

With January approaching, the focus will now be on securing loan moves for the trio needing those minutes while ensuring they retain their top two young prospects in their bid to secure the League One title this season.