Cardiff City join Birmingham City in race to sign Fulham striker | OneFootball

Cardiff City join Birmingham City in the race to sign Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.

Cardiff City have joined Birmingham City in the race to sign Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.

That is according to BBC Sport, which states that the Bluebirds are stepping up their search for a new striker and have shown tentative interest in Stansfield.

Cardiff are preparing for another Championship season under manager Erol Bulut, after it looked towards the end of last season that he could have been leaving the club following the 2022/23 season.

But Bulut has signed a new contract with the Welsh side, and the hope is that they can kick on from their midtable finish last season.

Cardiff have already added to their squad this summer with the additions of Chris Willock and Calum Chambers, but a striker is now seen as a priority, and Stansfield looks to be an option.

Cardiff City join Birmingham City in the Jay Stansfield race

It was reported by Football Insider on Monday that Birmingham City have opened talks with Premier League club Fulham over the permanent signing of Stansfield.

The report stated that the Blues are preparing to offer Fulham a package that could be worth as much as £6 million.

The forward is under contract at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2027, but the report states that the Premier League side are open to letting the player leave.

Now, Birmingham face stiff competition in the race to sign Stansfield as Championship side Cardiff City have joined the Blues in their pursuit.

That is according to BBC Sport, which states that the Bluebirds are stepping up their search for a new striker, and they have a tentative interest in the Fulham forward.

The report states that Cardiff could look to sign two new strikers this summer as they look to improve their forward line.

Jay Stansfield’s 2023/24 stats

Last season was Stansfield’s first season playing in the Championship on a regular basis, after spending the campaign in League One with Exeter City.

The 21-year-old started his career with the Grecians before he joined Fulham in 2019. However, his time with the Cottagers has been frustrating, as the striker’s only played eight times for the club in the first team.

His loan spell with Exeter in the 2022/23 season was very much a breakthrough for the player, but last season with Birmingham City was even more important.

The forward was able to play 47 times for the Blues in all competitions, 43 of which came in the league, and in that period, he scored 13 goals, with all but one coming in the Championship.

Jay Stansfield needs to leave Fulham this summer

Stansfield is a player who does look to have a bright future ahead of him, but it appears as though that future could be away from Fulham.

The striker has spent the last two seasons out on loan, and it now appears as though the Premier League side is willing to cut ties with the player.

Therefore, if Stansfield really does want to kick on his career, he needs to leave Fulham in this transfer window and secure a move to either Birmingham City or Cardiff City.