3 potential Rubin Colwill replacements if Cardiff City star leaves in the January transfer window | OneFootball

Football League World runs the role over three potential Rubin Colwill replacements at Cardiff City if he is to be cashed in on

Cardiff City may well receive significant transfer interest for Rubin Colwill in the January transfer window thanks to his recent performances.

The talented Welsh playmaker has been strutting his stuff thus far in the 2024/25 Championship campaign, which is very much appearing to resemble the emphatic breakout season that many supporters had predicted would be in store.

Particularly, though, Colwill has encapsulated the liberation which has seemingly swept itself among this talented and resurgent Bluebirds squad following the interim appointment of Omer Riza, who has turned around his side's fortunes in a remarkably short space of time, alleviating genuine fears of relegation and inspiring a new breed of confidence.

So often the heartbeat of Cardiff's attack, Colwill is arguably emerging as one of the most exciting young talents in the Championship right now. His unique footballing profile, which comprises an almighty 6 foot 5 inch frame, coupled with a contradicting balletic and elegant nature when skipping past opposition defenders, is something to behold, and it's beginning to shine through on a consistent basis.

As such, then, the 22-year-old is undoubtedly Cardiff's most valuable asset. He has previously earned reported interest from both Ipswich Town and Arsenal while Southampton head coach Russell Martin - a pantomine villain in this corner of the world - is also an outspoken fan, having reiterated his feelings on Colwill after he scored a 30-yard screamer against the Saints in the EFL Cup back in August.

There is a growing fear that Colwill could be prized away in the January transfer window. His performances of late will only bring more attention to his name, after all, and few could contest that he possesses all the natural talent required to make it at the highest level.

The Bluebirds will put up a strong resolve, of course, and cashing in on Colwill surely represents an extremely avoidable decision. However, should the Wales international move on in January, Football League World has analysed three potential replacements who could come in to fill that void.

Omari Kellyman

Should Cardiff decide to cash in on Colwill and reinvest the funds across the squad, sourcing an exciting young talent on loan from the Premier League would be the alternative to going all-out on a replacement.

Kellyman is exactly that, as evidenced by Chelsea's decision to sign him from Aston Villa for up to £19 million in the most recent transfer window. The 19-year-old forward is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and, rather unsurprisingly, is still awaiting a first-team breakthrough at Stamford Bridge, having made just two Premier League appearances before his summer switch.

Make no mistake about it, though, Kellyman is a serious prospect and could provide an ample stylistic replacement for Colwill.

The teenager uses his own sizable physical frame to progressively carry the ball with real directness and intent, as he's excellent at shielding off opposing defenders and charging forward at pace.

Quicker off the mark than Colwill, Kellyman's athleticism would offer increased dynamism in transition ito this Cardiff attack, and it's complimented with creative forward passing.

Of course, the adaptation period from youth football to the senior game is unforgiving and there would have to be latitude with Kellyman, who has long been among the stars at domestic academy level but is yet to leave his mark in the very limited first-team opportunities he's received.

However, once he's back from injury, he's surely going to be poised for a loan move away from Chelsea and Cardiff should make themselves front of the queue if Colwill is to leave.

David Brooks

Meanwhile, Welsh international David Brooks has found himself deemed surplus to requirements at Bournemouth for quite some time now, so it's not difficult to envisage either another loan move away from the club or even a permanent exit in January.

There are certainly some parallels between Colwill and Brooks, as the Welshman possesses similar precise, elegant ball-carrying qualities and can breeze past opposition defenders.

His eye for a pass is sublime, too, with Brooks' line-breaking creative passing ability perhaps superior to Colwill's at this moment in time.

He's a top-class playmaker at Championship level, and you can imagine that many sides throughout the division will be monitoring his situation with real intent.

Brooks helped Southampton back to the Premier League via the play-offs during a productive half-season loan stay with the Saints last time out, while his proven class at both top-flight and international level would make him an extremely attractive proposition for Cardiff in particular, who could offer a fresh lease of life and the restart his career needs right now.

In the theoretical scenario of Colwill leaving the club did happen, the blow would be softened among supporters with the signing of Brooks, who is a star-turn for Craig Bellamy's Wales side and arguably represents the most similar replacement by measure of footballing profile of the three players listed.

Admittedly, Brooks is most at home playing on the right-hand flank and drifting inside to get on the ball in half spaces, but that would effectively make him a near-enough replacement in possession.

Truthfully, he'd be an inspired signing for Cardiff regardless of whether Colwill stays put or moves on elsewhere, but the reasoning behind bringing him to the Welsh capital would naturally be amplified in the event of the Bluebirds making a significant sale.

Tyrhys Dolan

Another winger more than capable of playing in the number 10 role behind the striker, Tyrhys Dolan's immediate future with Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers is extremely uncertain.

Dolan is currently set to see his contract at Ewood Park expire next summer and, according to reports, the 22-year-old attacker is "increasingly likely" to assess his options as a free agent.

Due to his age, Blackburn would be entitled to compensation if Dolan ends up leaving on a free transfer, although a January sale is also hard to rule out - which would enable Rovers to collect a higher sum for his services.

Cardiff then, should be looking to capitalise on the situation. They swooped for David Turnbull from Celtic last January when he was nearing the end of his deal, after all.

Dolan is quick off the mark and creative with the ball at his feet, while his positional flexibility would also be a significant plus point as he can operate in attacking midfield and on both flanks. The drawback, it would seem, is his inconsistency.

Having made an unexpected quick rise into Rovers first-team, having initially signed for their under-21's in 2020 after his release from Preston North End's academy, Dolan has posted decent numbers year-on-year in Lancashire, and his most productive season was the 2022/23 campaign when he scored six times and made seven assists across all competitions.

However, he does have a tendency to go missing and often blows hot and cold, with Blackburn supporters very much in division about him.

That's why Dolan wouldn't exactly represent the chief replacement for Colwill, but he'd still be an interesting long-term signing.

Colwill himself has struggled for consistency in the past, and Cardiff could do much worse than tapping into Dolan's undoubted potential and trying to optimise his quality on a continued basis.