Miserly Ledley Fees Worry Cardiff City Fans

Cardiff City fans are resigned to the fact that one of their brightest ever prospects is certain to leave this summer with midfielder Joe Ledley destined to play Premiership football next season.


However, fans were pleasantly suprised when a hefty £6m bid for Ledley was turned down last season when Stoke City boss Tony Pulis enquired about Joe. After narrowly missing out on the play-offs, it seems Joe's time has come and he has refused talks on extending his present 1 year deal.


What is clear is that we cannot afford to let Joe's contract run out. However, some of the figures banded about in the press are similarly disturbing with sums as low as £3m being mentioned. Thats on top of definite interest from:


Everton, Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham.


What looks likely is that we are going to be bullied into offloading Joe for a cut-price deal. Ledley is worth more this year after another good campaign, more experience and more Welsh caps to his name. It's no secret he wants to go, and isn't courting a new deal but landing a paltry £3m would seem an insult.


One potential scenario is a new contract for Joe, with a fee release clause set at £5m or somewhere thereabouts. Joe would be confident that he could attract such a bid (Stoke offered plenty more) and those interested clubs would know they couldn't bully us into selling. In short it would send a clear statement of our price. As time goes by this summer, we will be increasingly under pressure to accept any bid.


The key to such a deal would be Ledley. It could backfire on him if no-one stumped up. Perhaps a gentleman's agreement that a £4m bid would be accepted in summer? Offering the chance to lead his hometown club out at the new stadium would be a tempting sweetener for the Fairwater boy.


Joe Ledley is destined to move on, I want him to move to Everton or anotherh established team and succeed. I don't want to be reminded of how we were forced to accept a cut price deal....remember John Toshack, Mark Delaney, Nathan Blake, Aaron Ramsey, Chris Gunter? All dramatically undersold and almost an insult to their memories held by Cardiff City fans forever.

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