Omari Kellyman: Could Derby County or Bristol City step in if Cardiff City, Chelsea deal stalls? | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at two Championship clubs who should be looking at Omari Kellyman this summer if Cardiff City can't renew his loan deal.

Omari Kellyman has been one of the standout talents in Brian Barry-Murphy's Cardiff City side so far this season, and he has been crucial to their push for the League One title and a return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

The 20-year-old joined the Bluebirds on loan from Chelsea at the start of the season, and so far he has played 23 times in the league for the South Wales outfit, scoring five goals and registering one assist.

The attacking midfielder is making himself a fan favourite at the Cardiff City Stadium, and there will be a great desire to see him return to the club next season, with supporters that will be in the second tier.

However, if they are unable to work out a deal to bring him back to the Welsh capital in 2026/27, Football League World has picked out two clubs who should be taking significant interest in the Chelsea starlet.

Derby County

Kellyman came through the academy at Derby County after being born in the city, and he left the Championship outfit in 2022 while the Rams were in administration, making his way to Aston Villa's academy.

He never made an appearance for the East Midlands outfit, and therefore a return to DE24 could be the perfect way for him to get his first taste of second tier football in a team that is currently going all out for a play-off place and a chance at Premier League football.

Both Bobby Clark's and Sammie Szmodics' loans are set to come to an end once this season comes to an end, and John Eustace will need a new attacking midfielder to take on the vacant role if neither player returns to Pride Park, and Kellyman can be just that.

The 20-year-old found himself on the bench against AFC Bournemouth for Derby in November 2021, and there is perhaps a feeling of unfinished business, and he may just want to make his debut for the club that gave him his first chance in football.

Liam Rosenior knows Kellyman well from his time with the Rams, and the Chelsea boss may want to send him to the club which he first met the youngster at.

Bristol City

Gerhard Struber has had an inconsistent first year at Bristol City, and the main area of focus in the summer transfer window will be on the defence at Ashton Gate with the team struggling at the back right now.

Nevertheless, there will also be a significant interest in bringing more attacking talent to the club. George Earthy's loan from West Ham United will expire at the end of the campaign and therefore replacing him with another young Premier League attacking midfielder would be a superb move.

There have been significant injuries in the middle of the park for the Robins, most namely to Max Bird, and while he does play in a slightly more central role compared to Kellyman, bringing the Chelsea youngster to Bristol could be an excellent way of adding more depth in that area of the pitch.

With the 20-year-old's links to Cardiff, this would be somewhat of a controversial move, but he could be guaranteed game time if Scott Twine is poached by another club if Bristol City fail in their ambitions to finish in the top six and this could be a superb move for a player looking to make his mark in the Championship next season.