How Callum O'Dowda is getting on with Robbie Keane after leaving Cardiff City | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at how Callum O'Dowda is faring with Hungarian side Ferencvaros after leaving Cardiff City

Cardiff City sanctioned a host of outgoings following relegation from the Championship at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with numerous long-serving players dispensed ahead of a squad and cultural rebuild under popular head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

All in all, throughout the entirety of the summer transfer window and including both temporary and permanent departures, no less than 14 players moved out of the exit door in the Welsh capital. A raft of senior members found themselves out of contract come the conclusion of the previous season, which would see the likes of long-time captain Joe Ralls, Aaron Ramsey and Andy Rinomhota, along with Jamilu Collins, Anwar El Ghazi, Dimitrios Goutas and Yakou Meite, all let go.

Cardiff were staunch in their transfer impetus, however, and stood firm to resist interest in prized assets such as Cian Ashford, Rubin Colwill, Ronan Kpakio, Dylan Lawlor and Alex Robertson, while striker Yousef Salech was also tipped by many for a swift exit after enjoying a blistering goalscoring impact in the latter stages of last season but ultimately ended up staying.

Of the 14 players to have left Cardiff in the summer, it must be said, very few have been missed on the pitch following a lightning start to the season under Barry-Murphy, and the vast majority of exits felt an inevitability above all else.

Callum O'Dowda's shock transfer to Ferencravos, however, was one which left supporters gutted at the time and, with the dust having now settled on his move, Football League World has decided to take a look at how the ex-Bluebirds star is faring over in Hungary.

How Callum O'Dowda is getting on at Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros after leaving Cardiff City

O'Dowda left Cardiff after three seasons, in which he made 94 appearances and often donned the captain's armband, to join Ferencvaros at the start of July.

The 32-cap Republic of Ireland international was soon in action for his new side - who are, of course, under the management of Irish goalscoring legend Robbie Keane - and made an instant impact by scoring on debut in a 2-1 UEFA Champions League qualification clash against FC Noah of Austria.

Ferencvaros would advance past Ludogrets Razgrad before falling to a 5-4 defeat across two legs to Qarabag FK, both of which O'Dowda started in. Indeed, the 3-2 victory they clinched in Azerbaijan now looks even more impressive after Qarabag claimed a stunning win by the same scoreline away to Portuguese giants Benfica to initiate their Champions League campaign.

The 37-time Hungarian top-flight champions will instead compete in the UEFA Europa League, where fixtures against Viktoria Plzen, Genk, RB Salzburg, Ludogrets, Fenerbache, Rangers, Panathinaikos await before a return to English shores for O'Dowda with the trip to Nottingham Forest in January.

O'Dowda started each of Ferencvaros' six Champions League qualifiers but, for one reason or another, has not been favoured regularly in league action.

The versatile left-sided player, perhaps most at home as a winger, has continued to operate at left-back after leaving Cardiff but finds himself competing for a place with Brazilian summer recruit Cadu and has played just 85 minutes across two of Ferencvaros' opening five league fixtures.

Callum O'Dowda's absence has not yet been felt at Cardiff City - but crisis could hit

O'Dowda's departure left the Bluebirds short-staffed in the left-back department, which went without addition throughout the summer and consists of just Joel Bagan and 19-year-old prospect Luey Giles.

Bagan has been Barry-Murphy's first-choice to date as Giles, who has featured in cup action, continues to wait in the wings, but the teenager's lack of experience - in spite of his widely-regarded attacking prowess and promise - would be a concern if Bagan was to get injured during the season.

That could, of course, lead to Cardiff missing O'Dowda on the pitch, with his leadership qualities bound to be missed away from it already, but the Welsh side have enjoyed an unbeaten start to the League One season and are yet to concede a single goal from open play after six games, so his absence has not been sorely-felt quite just yet.