Cardiff City rivaling Celtic & Rangers for £3m transfer | OneFootball

Cardiff City have joined Celtic and Rangers in showing an interest in Motherwell's Elliot Watt, who could cost up to £3m this summer.

Cardiff City are preparing for life back in the Championship after a brilliant first season under Brian Barry-Murphy.

The Irishman was a bold appointment by the Bluebirds, but he immediately made his mark on the team, as he implemented a stylish brand of football and turned to many academy players to help the side win automatic promotion from League One.

Now, the challenge is to build on that, but it’s clear that reinforcements are required if Cardiff are to push on now they are back in the second tier.

Cardiff City join Celtic and Rangers in pursuit of Motherwell’s Elliot Watt

It appears Cardiff have already identified some targets to improve Barry-Murphy’s squad, as the Scottish Sun has claimed they have made an enquiry for Motherwell’s Elliot Watt.

Like many of his teammates at Fir Park, Watt enjoyed a superb individual campaign as the Steelmen finished fourth, which will bring European football to the club.

The 26-year-old flourished under the possession based approach Jen Berthel Askou demanded, with Watt one of five Motherwell players who were named in the Team of the Year in Scotland.

Therefore, Motherwell know they face a battle to keep Watt, with the report stating they are looking for a £3m fee for the ex-Bradford City man.

However, it’s not going to be easy for Cardiff to do a deal for the player, as the update explains that Celtic and Rangers have also expressed their interest in Watt to Motherwell, who will no doubt be hoping for a bidding war.

Elliot Watt would be perfect for Cardiff City’s system

With Askou having left Motherwell for Toulouse, and Watt effectively about to enter the final two years of his contract, it may be the right time for the Scottish side to cash in on their key man.

The similarities between Barry-Murphy and Askou are clear to see, as both try to dominate possession, and that is what Watt’s game is all about.

Whilst he had shown flashes of his talent, having featured for the likes of Bradford, Salford and St. Johnstone over the years, it was working under Askou that took Watt to another level.

He embraced the responsibility of being the key man in the build-up, and it allowed him to showcase his technical quality all the time.

So, in terms of style of play, joining Cardiff would make a lot of sense for Watt if they formalise their interest with an offer, although turning down either Rangers or Celtic would be difficult when you consider the size of the Glasgow clubs.

But, it seems apparent that Watt will be moving on this summer, and he would be a coup for Cardiff when you look at his performances over the past year.

Barry-Murphy will be hoping for a productive window following promotion, but it’s not a case of Cardiff needing to make wholesale changes to the squad. Instead, it’s about adding a few individuals that can come straight into the XI to enhance the group, and Watt would fall into that category, so if they can get it done for £3m, it would appear to be shrewd business by the Welsh side.