Cardiff City are in talks with South Wales derby hero Ollie Tanner over signing a new contract.
The winger, 21, was signed from non-league Lewes FC a little more than a year ago for £50,000 on an initial two-year deal. WalesOnline understands the club have an option to extend that by a further year.
However, it appears the wheels are already in motion to get him tied down to better terms. Bluebirds CEO Ken Choo said: “Behind the scenes we are talking, as always, we will reach a deal with him.
“He has shown great prospect in the last couple of weeks, but there is a long-term plan and he has a long way to go. But from what we have seen so far, we are happy.”
Former Cardiff City under-21s player Lennon Peake has linked up with ex-Bluebirds boss Steve Morison at Hornchurch FC.
Winger Peake came through the ranks at West Ham before suffering a nasty injury which sidelined him for a hefty length of time, a problem which instigated his move away from the Premier League club.
Cardiff took a punt on him last season, signing him on a short-term contract, but it didn’t work out for him in south Wales and it was announced this summer that the 21-year-old would be released and not offered new terms.
And Morison, who took the job at Hornchurch, in the seventh tier, this summer despite being in consideration for a stunning return to Cardiff ahead of Erol Bulut’s appointment, has added Peake to his ranks at the Urchins, having already signed ex-City academy player Jack Leahy earlier this season.
“We are delighted to announce the signing of midfielder/winger Lennon Peake,” the Isthmian Premier League club announced. “Lennon joins from Cardiff City having previously spent several seasons at West Ham Utd, in their Under 21 team. Welcome to the club Lennon.”
Hornchurch are second in the league behind Chatham Town, having won four of their opening six games and drawing the other two.
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has challenged his team to extend their winning run to four matches against “top team” Cardiff.
The Bluebirds go into the match having won two on the bounce, but the Black Cats, who defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-1 last night, have three successive victories to their name. Mowbray wants them to go one further, but thinks it’ll be a tough ask against a Cardiff team currently riding the crest of a wave.
“The team are functioning alright”, Mowbray said. “I have just said how difficult it is to win three on the bounce in the Championship.
“It is really, really difficult. I have just challenged them there about can we do four on the bounce on Sunday. Our biggest danger for that game will be ourselves, really.
“We have to turn up and make sure we are right at it, as if we are playing a top, top team and Cardiff, I think have won back to back games now as well so they will be on a high.
“It should be a great game, but a great opportunity for us to keep racking up the points.”
Cardiff take on Sunderland at 3pm on Sunday.
Dimitrios Goutas has been named in the Championship Team of the Week after his impressive showing against Coventry City in the 3-2 midweek win.
The Greek got Cardiff off to a flyer with a headed goal early on, his first strike for the club, and was impressive at the back, too. He admitted after the match he was enjoying life at Cardiff after a tricky adjustment period, having come over from Turkish football.
“I feel really amazing,” he said after scoring his first goal in the win over Coventry. “I think we deserved the win. The squad is amazing and we’ve worked very hard and we have lost points at the end of games. We are back in business and have to continue the same way.”
And things have got better for Goutas, who was given a rating of 8.0 by WhoScored, whose ratings dictate the Championship’s Team of the Week.
