Gary Madine features: Cardiff City ‘s 5 biggest transfer flop signings from recent times

Cardiff City will be hoping that their recent summer recruits do not meet the same fate as some of their high-profile or expensive signings from the past, as the club has had an unfortunate history with such transfers.

Despite tighter financial controls in recent years, which have limited the size of transfer fees, there remains significant pressure for the new arrivals to justify the club’s investment. This reduced financial impact means that the consequences of a transfer not working out are perhaps less severe than in previous years. However, Cardiff City fans still remember some of the club’s most disappointing signings with frustration.

With this context, *Football League World* has compiled a list of five notable transfer flops at Cardiff City Stadium, ranked in order and excluding loan players.

Josh Murphy

First on the list is Josh Murphy, who was signed by Cardiff City from Norwich City for £11 million during their second Premier League stint in 2018. Ironically, Murphy’s standout performances came during that Premier League season, even though Cardiff were relegated under Neil Warnock.

The winger had an impressive start, causing problems for top-flight full-backs in the first half of the season. However, he struggled with inconsistency and was never able to replicate those performances in a Cardiff shirt.

Murphy’s time at Cardiff was fraught with challenges. The club experienced frequent managerial changes, none of whom were able to fully harness his talent or fit him into their tactical plans. Additionally, minor injuries were a common issue, and Murphy’s performance was often overshadowed by the high price tag attached to him.

Evidently an outstanding talent full of trickery and flair when at full throttle, Cardiff overpaid for Murphy in the first instance and that is ultimately where the judgement will come from, rightly or wrongly.

Despite being signed for £11 million and eventually released on a free transfer four years later, Cardiff City never saw a consistent or significant return on their investment from Josh Murphy, even though he had moments of brilliance.

This season, Cardiff might face Murphy for the first time since his departure, as he has recently joined newly-promoted Portsmouth following his exit from Oxford United, where he helped lead the team back to the Championship last term.

Andreas Cornelius

One of Cardiff City’s most memorable transfer flops was Andreas Cornelius, whose stint in Wales was both brief and disappointing. The Danish striker, who had been the top scorer in the Danish league at just 20 years old, was signed by Cardiff in the summer of 2014 for a club-record fee of £7.5 million on a five-year contract.

The move turned into a nightmare for both parties. Cornelius struggled with injuries and managed only 11 appearances before being returned to FC København in January. Despite his struggles at Cardiff, Cornelius has since enjoyed a successful career, playing for clubs like Atalanta, Parma, and Trabzonspor, and earning 46 caps for the Denmark national team.

His time at Cardiff remains a sour chapter for both the player and the club, who would likely prefer to forget the ill-fated transfer.

Gary Madine

Cardiff City has often been seen as a career graveyard for strikers, and Gary Madine’s time at the club may reinforce that view.

Madine was in exceptional form when Cardiff signed him from Bolton Wanderers for a reported £6 million on deadline day in January 2018. The expectation was that he would provide the crucial goals needed to secure promotion. Cardiff did achieve promotion that season, but Madine played a minimal role, contributing only two assists and failing to score despite having netted 10 times for Bolton before his move.

During Cardiff’s subsequent Premier League campaign, Madine was loaned out to Sheffield United, further highlighting his limited impact at the club.

Cardiff City made one final effort to get Gary Madine back to his best during the 2019/20 season, giving him several opportunities to prove himself. Unfortunately, his struggles in front of goal persisted, and he left Cardiff without scoring a single goal in 28 appearances. Madine is now playing for Hartlepool United in the National League at the age of 34.

Leandro Bacuna

Cardiff City’s signing of Leandro Bacuna, while less costly in terms of the transfer fee—reportedly £3 million from Reading in January 2019—was still a significant disappointment, especially considering his likely high wages.

Bacuna, formerly of Aston Villa, was brought in with the hope of helping Cardiff avoid relegation. While he managed to make a decent impact in the Premier League, his performances and commitment noticeably declined following the team’s relegation.

Leandro Bacuna’s attitude and application quickly became a major issue for Cardiff City supporters. Despite some decent performances early on, he failed to consistently deliver value throughout his time at the club. His Cardiff career effectively ended after he was sent off for a reckless challenge on Bournemouth’s Phillip Billing during a 3-0 defeat on the south coast in the 2021/22 season. Bacuna has since returned to the Netherlands and is now playing with FC Groningen.

Javi Guerra

To conclude, Javi Guerra stands out as an exception in Cardiff City’s list of transfer disappointments. He arrived on a free transfer in a pre-contract agreement with Real Valladolid, so the financial impact was less severe compared to some other signings.

Despite this, Guerra’s time at Cardiff was still disappointing. Although he had an impressive pedigree, scoring 15 goals in La Liga during the 2013/14 season, he struggled to make an impact in the Championship after Cardiff’s relegation. He appeared in only three Championship games without scoring before returning to Spain in January.

Guerra found success upon his return, scoring five goals for Malaga on loan and later joining Rayo Vallecano, where he netted twelve top-flight goals in the 2015/16 season. Despite his evident talent and experience, Guerra failed to make a significant mark at Cardiff, largely due to the limited opportunities he was given.

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