Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan should be licking his lips at Blackburn Rovers transfer situation | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers are reportedly preparing to listen to offers for Todd Cantwell this summer, and Cardiff should weigh up a move for the midfielder.

Cardiff City are set for a potentially interesting transfer window ahead of the summer, as the Bluebirds look to prepare for life back in the Championship.

Brian Barry-Murphy's side caught the eye for all the right reasons this term, and they'll be eager to build on a successful year, as they return to the second-tier.

The Bluebirds finished second in League One, and were beaten to the title by a hugely impressive Lincoln City side. There was little room to complain about the Cardiff supporters though, and they'll be eagerly anticipating potential arrivals ahead of the summer transfer window.

There are plenty of players within the Cardiff squad that have featured in the Championship previously, but there's no doubting that the Barry-Murphy's squad could benefit from adding some second-tier experience to their ranks at the earliest of opportunities.

If Cardiff owner Vincent Tan can recruit smartly this summer, then the Bluebirds could be looking towards the Premier League, as opposed to a potential return back into League One.

Cardiff City should be eyeing swoop for Blackburn Rovers star

One player that Cardiff should be eyeing a move for this summer is Todd Cantwell, with the midfielder heading into the final year of his contract with the Lancashire-based side.

The former Norwich talent has been with Rovers since 2024, and made 29 appearances in all competitions this season, whilst chipping in with five goals and three assists, as Blackburn finished 20th in the second-tier standings, in what was a frustrating campaign for the club's supporters to witness.

It's recently been reported by Football Insider that Blackburn are prepared to cash-in on Cantwell, who, it is claimed, is the highest earner currently at the club.

Capology claim that Cantwell's wages are £30,000 per-week, which is double that of the second-highest earner at Ewood Park. Blackburn are in for a testing few weeks it seems, with it recently being announced that Michael O'Neill won't be taking on the managerial job on a permanent basis, as he continues his focus with the Northern Ireland national team instead.

Cardiff were previously linked with a move for Cantwell whilst the midfielder was with Rangers, but for one reason or another, the move failed to materialise.

Where would Todd Cantwell fit into the Cardiff City team?

There's no doubting that Cantwell is a hugely impressive talent in the Championship, and some might feel as though he's a player that can recapture the sort of form that saw him catch the eye in the Premier League whilst with Norwich earlier in his professional career.

The midfielder hasn't hit some of the heights that were originally set for him, but at the age of 28, he could turn out to be a shrewd addition to the Cardiff team, particularly if he can make a fast start to life in Wales.

The Bluebirds already have some strong options in attacking midfield themselves, with Rubin Colwill in particular catching the eye for them in their promotion-winning season this term.

The Welshman netted nine goals in all competitions for Cardiff in the 2025/26 season, and will head into next year's campaign full of confidence after such a strong year.

Colwill is likely to be given the license to continue flourishing in the starting 11 for Cardiff in the Championship, and it'll be interesting to see how he copes with the step back into the second-tier.

Cardiff could benefit from bolstering their options in attacking midfield though, especially with Omari Kellyman returning to Chelsea from his loan spell. Chris Willock is a player that had his doubters in terms of his application when he signed for the Bluebirds, but he's gone on to flourish, having played a key role in their promotion-winning campaign.

Cantwell could go on to have a similar impact, as he's a player who sparks debate for his effort levels at times, but Brian Barry-Murphy could certainly get the best out of him.

It wouldn't be a given that Cantwell would walk into the starting XI for the Bluebirds, but if Cardiff were to sign a player of his quality, it could get the best out of both players, and also push others to improve throughout the season.

Joel Colwill and Alex Robertson can also operate in the central attacking midfield role for the newly-promoted Bluebirds, although the latter is favoured more in the slightly more defensive role in midfield in Barry-Murphy's squad, so reinforcements in the central attacking midfield role could be ideal.

It would be a statement of intent by Cardiff if they were to secure an agreement to land Cantwell's signature, as there's likely to be plenty of other clubs interested in signing the former England youth international.