**Cardiff City Thrash Cambridge United in Pre-Season Friendly as Wrexham Eyes Former Bluebird**
Cardiff City has shown their intent for the upcoming League One campaign by cruising to two commanding victories over Cambridge United in a pair of behind-closed-doors pre-season friendlies. The matches, held at the club’s training facility in the Vale of Glamorgan, offered manager Brian Barry-Murphy an opportunity to integrate a number of returning players and experiment with his sizeable squad as preparations intensify just a fortnight ahead of the new season.
The first encounter saw the Bluebirds assert their dominance with a decisive 3-1 triumph. Notably, forwards Callum Robinson and Isaak Davies—both of whom sat out the club’s Spanish tour due to injury concerns—returned to action with goals, signalling their readiness ahead of league competition. Adding to the tally, Chris Willock found the back of the net, fresh from having featured for Cardiff’s under-21s earlier in the week.
A switch in personnel in the second game did little to impress upon Cardiff’s momentum as they collected a 2-0 win to complete a double over the U’s. Striker Yousef Salech continued his pre-season scoring spree, while Cian Ashford, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last year, sealed the result with the side’s second goal. With positive performances spreading across the 23 players used across both matches, Barry-Murphy will be buoyed by the squad’s depth and resilience as attentions now turn to a friendly against QPR scheduled for next Wednesday.
While Cardiff’s preparations are progressing smoothly on the pitch, transfer activity among former players is also making headlines. Norwegian midfielder Sivert Mannsverk—who spent the latter half of last season on loan at the Cardiff City Stadium—has emerged as a transfer target for newly-promoted Championship outfit Wrexham. Reports from Football Insider suggest that discussions are ongoing for Wrexham to take the 23-year-old from Ajax, with the Dutch side reportedly willing to part ways for a fee approaching £4million.
Mannsverk, who impressed despite limited opportunities during his spell in South Wales, appears to have been identified as a key midfield target for Wrexham as they bolster their squad for a highly anticipated season in the second tier. The Red Dragons, armed with significant financial muscle following their double promotion and high-profile ownership, have set their sights on building a team capable of challenging at the upper reaches of the Championship. With former Rotherham United player Ollie Rathbone sidelined due to a recent ankle injury, Mannsverk’s potential arrival would offer both quality and depth to their midfield—a move that would see him return to Welsh football, albeit not in blue.
Meanwhile, Cardiff City’s recruitment drive remains active, with centre-backs reportedly in focus. American defender Jonathan Tomkinson, recently released by Norwich City, is the latest to be linked with the Bluebirds. According to sources in the United States, Tomkinson—who enjoyed loan spells in the Scottish Premiership with Ross County and previously played in League Two for Bradford and Stevenage—has attracted interest from several EFL clubs including Cardiff, Notts County and Grimsby Town.
The 23-year-old, who has represented the USA at under-23 level, adds a further dimension to the array of defensive options on the domestic market. Both Rotherham United and Portsmouth have been credited with interest earlier in the summer, indicating stiff competition for his signature as the new season approaches.
With pre-season in full swing and transfer activity gathering pace, Cardiff City find themselves at a crucial juncture—seeking not only to fine-tune their existing squad but also keep a close eye on opportunities in the market. The performances against Cambridge—and ongoing pursuit of talented individuals—underscore their ambition to make an immediate impact in League One while keeping supporters eager for the campaign to get underway.
Fans will now watch with interest as the club’s summer narrative continues to unfold, with results and transfer dealings alike set to shape expectations for the months ahead.