6 players leave Cardiff City in 2026 - What's happened to them? | OneFootball

This year was not without its departures for the Bluebirds, who finished second in League One with 91 points

Cardiff City secured an instant return to the Championship in stunning style this past season, finishing second in League One with a club-record 91 points.

In truth, it was quite the turnaround for a club that had been relegated to the third tier in 24/25, with head coach Brian Barry-Murphy working his magic on the squad from top to bottom.

Yet even amid - and before - the celebrations, this year was not without its departures. As such, FLW takes a look at what has happened to each of them.

1 ? ? Jak Alnwick - Huddersfield Town

Goalkeeper Jak Alnwick was the first out of the door in 2026, completing a permanent move to Huddersfield Town on 8th January for an undisclosed fee.

The 32-year-old joined Cardiff in 2022 and made 64 appearances in South Wales, all in the Championship, finding himself surplus to requirements from the very start of Barry-Murphy's League One.

Alnwick had actually stepped away from the club earlier in the season, with Barry-Murphy acknowledging in October that the stopper had returned to the North West for personal reasons.

He has made six appearances for Huddersfield since joining, providing experienced cover for Lee Nicholl and Nikola Tzanev.

2 ? ? Ethan Horvath - New York Red Bulls

Another goalkeeper, Ethan Horvath, became Cardiff's second January departure.

The 30-year-old American completed a permanent transfer to MLS side New York Red Bulls on 29 January, leaving on a free transfer despite having a deal running until June 27, with his contract effectively terminated to enable the move.

Horvath arrived in Cardiff in 2024 and made 36 appearances for the Bluebirds, keeping eight clean sheets. He spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, where he made 16 appearances in the Championship.

New York RB have to compensate Charlotte FC for Horvath's MLS discovery rights, though, sending a reported $75,000 in General Allocation Money across 2026 and 2027.

3 ? ? Calum Scanlon - Returned to Liverpool

Left-back Calum Scanlon returned to parent club Liverpool at the end of the season after a loan spell that produced mixed results in South Wales.

The 21-year-old arrived at the Cardiff City Stadium on the 1st February as the club's second mid-season signing, but he managed just eight appearances.

Scanlon had suffered a hamstring injury early in the season that ruled him out of the first half of Liverpool's U21 campaign, having previously had his loan spell at Millwall cut short by the same problem in January 2025.

In a farewell message on Instagram, Scanlon wrote: "A pleasure being part of such a good team. Thank you to all the staff, fans and players who helped me every day, and made me feel welcome from the start."

4 ? ? Omari Kellyman - Returned to Chelsea

Chelsea loanee Omari Kellyman was arguably the player of the season for many Cardiff fans, yet his time in South Wales has now come to an end as he returns to Stamford Bridge.

The 20-year-old contributed with 11 goals and two assists across 42 appearances in all competitions.

Kellyman joined the Blues from Aston Villa for around £19m in 2024, was keen to emphasise throughout the season that his ambitions lie in the Capital.

Speaking to The Athletic in February, he said, "I signed for Chelsea, and I want to play for Chelsea - that is the end goal."

5 ? ? Ryan Wintle - Free Agent

Ryan Wintle confirmed he is leaving Cardiff City after five years at the club, but revealed the decision was "completely out of my control."

Wintle was the club's standout performer throughout the promotion-winning campaign, scooping both the Club's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards.

He made 163 appearances in total for the Bluebirds after joining from Crewe Alexandra on a free transfer, scoring six goals.

Wintle is currently a free agent, with no new club confirmed at the time of writing.

6 ? ? Michael Reindorf - Free Agent

Young forward Michael Reindorf is among the academy professionals departing Cardiff this summer when his contract expires on 30 June.

The 20-year-old joined the Bluebirds from Norwich City in July 2024 and showed promise at under-21 level, notching seven goals in just three games during the 24/25 Welsh League Cup as Cardiff reached the semi-finals.

Reindorf did earn some first-team opportunities during his time at the CCS, which is why he's included in this list, making his debut in the Carabao Cup against Bristol Rovers in August 2024 and then playing the full 90 minutes in a 5-3 third-round defeat to Premier League side Southampton, registering an assist.

He also made his Championship debut away at Coventry City in November of that year as well.

Reindorf was sent out on loan twice during 25/26, first to League Two side Newport County for the first half of the season, where he made 22 appearances, before a stint in non-league with Tamworth of the National League.