Cardiff City star set for exit in shock contract update amid big Joe Ralls news | OneFootball

Andy Rinomhota is reportedly likely to leave Cardiff City at the end of his contract

Cardiff City are set to lose a further two out-of-contract players following relegation to League One at the end of the 2024/25 Championship campaign.

The departure of long-serving club captain Joe Ralls, who clocked up 409 appearances across a memorable 14-year association with the Bluebirds, was announced on Saturday ahead of the expiration of his contract at the end of this month.

Ralls is poised to be followed out of the exit door by Andy Rinomhota, though, according to a report from WalesOnline.

Rinomhota is reportedly likely to leave Cardiff once his contract expires too, which would mark the eighth senior post-season departure from the Welsh capital after deals for Ralls, Aaron Ramsey, Anwar El Ghazi, Dimitros Goutas, Yakou Meite, Jamilu Collins and Kieron Evans were not renewed.

Chairman Mehmet Dalman has previously stated the club's intention to thin the squad ahead of Cardiff's first League One campaign in a generation, although they are not under any pressure to sell assets amid likely interest in the likes of Yousef Salech and Alex Robertson.

Andy Rinomhota set for Cardiff City exit

As per WalesOnline, 28-year-old Rinomhota is likely to leave following an impressive individual campaign which saw him win the Players' Player of the Season award.

Cardiff had been in discussions with Rinomhota over a new deal for some time, and he's now seemingly set to search for a new club after three years in South Wales.

The versatile midfielder has made 82 appearances for the Bluebirds, and 34 of those came last season as he reinvented himself in a previously-unfamiliar right-back role after returning from a difficult loan spell at Rotherham United.

Rinomhota ousted Perry Ng from the side on a number of occasions and became something of a fan favourite, and his exit will be a loss for Cardiff as they prepare to head underway in the era of new head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

Cardiff City are losing a wealth of experience amid big Andy Rinomhota exit news

Although fans are rightfully excited about what the future could hold under Barry-Murphy, who was named as Omer Riza's long-awaited successor following a near-two-month managerial search earlier this week, there is a growing concern about the wealth of experience which Cardiff have lost in recent times.

It was no great shock nor shame for those of a Bluebirds persuasion to see the likes of El Ghazi, Meite or Collins released, but Ralls' exit leaves Cardiff with a significant void in both leadership and experience.

Rinomhota isn't quite as seasoned as Ralls, of course, a modern-day Cardiff legend for good reason, but the former Reading midfielder does have more than 200 senior appearances under his belt and is a dependable and consistent performer who can operate without fuss in a number of positions.

He enjoyed an impressive personal redemption campaign last time out and it was hoped that he could follow up on that progress by playing a big role in Cardiff's bid to return to the Championship at the very first attempt, but it's not to be and supporters will now be interested to see where the 13-cap Zimbabwe international ends up next.