"Won’t be missed" - Cardiff City, Ebou Adams decision backed as Derby County move draws closer | OneFootball

FLW's Bluebirds fan pundit insists that Adams is not a major loss for the club

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Cardiff City are on course for a big summer transfer window as they look to finally push on in the Championship under Erol Bulut.

The Bluebirds are able to spend money in a summer window for the first time since 2022, and boss Bulut signed a new deal in early June, so things are looking bright ahead of next season.

The 49-year-old has already begun to shape his squad for the new campaign, with Chris Willock and Calum Chambers both arriving in South Wales from QPR and Aston Villa respectively.

Romaine Sawyers, Sheyi Ojo, Rohan Luthra and Oliver Denham have all left the club upon the expiry of their respective contracts, and more outgoings are likely in the coming months, but Bulut will want to keep hold of his key players in the hope that the club can push for the play-off places in 2024/25.

One player that looks set to depart the Cardiff City Stadium is Gambian international midfielder Ebou Adams, who joined the club in 2022 from Forest Green Rovers.

Adams moved on loan to Derby County in January and helped them win promotion back to the second-tier, and is now set to join the Rams on a permanent deal worth just under £1m, according to the Telegraph's John Percy.

Adams exit "good long-term business" for Cardiff City

Adams has failed to make much of an impact in his two years with the Bluebirds, despite being highly rated at Forest Green after playing a major part in their 2021/22 League Two title success and also being named in the PFA Team of the Year that same season.

He has had an injury-hit time in South Wales, and has made just 13 appearances for the club since his arrival, so to receive a fee near the reported £1m would be a great deal for the club.

FLW’s Cardiff fan pundit Ben Johnsey is happy with the potential fee that his club are getting for the 28-year-old, and insists that he will not be missed in the coming season due to his lack of impact.

"I’m definitely happy with the price for Ebou Adams, for a player that signed for very little and hasn’t been given much game time," he said.

"Obviously he had a really long-term injury with his shoulder when he first came into the club. I think he’s a decent player but a low Championship, high League One club is probably his level.

"I wish him the best at Derby if he is to go there. He’s definitely a decent player, but I think Cardiff are looking to move on to other ventures."

Derby have made Adams a priority

Paul Warne has clearly given precedence to Adams' signing this summer - he was a big part of their squad in the run-in last season and can seamlessly slot back into his midfield ahead of the new season, so it makes sense as to why the club may pay slightly over the odds for his full-time services.

The 28-year-old may not be a completely proven entity at this level, but he is familiar with the club, Warne's style of play and what he expects from his players, so it seems a no-brainer to bring him back.

He featured in all of the Rams' final 17 games of the 2023/24 season at the heart of the midfield, and even netted a winner against Blackpool in March to keep them on track for promotion.

There has been a big turnover of midfielders at Pride Park this summer too, with Louie Sibley, Korey Smith and Conor Hourihane all leaving the club, while Kenzo Goudmijn and Ben Osborn have joined from AZ Alkmaar and Sheffield United respectively.

Those two, along with youngsters Liam Thompson and Darren Robinson and out-of-favour Tyrese Fornah, make up Warne's current options in central midfield, so Adams' potential signing is even more understandable.

With that said, it is pretty clear that this move suits both clubs and Adams himself, and all parties will hope it goes through sooner rather than later so they can continue to plan for 2024/25.