Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Tom Coleman

Rangers join Leeds United and Celtic in casting eye over Cardiff City starlet

Cardiff City face a fight to keep hold of teenager Japhet Matondo amid interest from Scotland and the Premier League.

A recruitment source has told WalesOnline that Matondo, the brother of former Cardiff prodigy Rabbi, is attracting a lot of interest this summer, with Old Firm duo Rangers and Celtic among those believed to be monitoring the 16-year-old's progress.

Leeds United are also understood to the be in the mix for the teenager, who has already featured for Cardiff's under-23s side and Wales Under-17s, recently netting for the latter against Scotland.

READ MORE: The hugely talented Cardiff City kids you haven't heard of yet

Matondo can play as a winger on both flanks, and is understood to be highly rated by many in the capital and within the Wales camp. The circumstances of his brother Rabbi's departure back in 2016 left something of a bitter taste for the Bluebirds, with Manchester City having to pay a nominal compensation fee under the Elite Player Performance Plan.

Cardiff appealed the move, which blocked the current Cercle Brugge winger from playing for Man City until March 2017. Reports suggested Cardiff were eventually compensated £500,000, and they may well be eager to ensure they avoid a similar saga.

It's not clear how much compensation it would take to secure Japhet, but Scottish clubs would be in line to pay a lower fee should they nab the teenager, due to rules implemented by the Premier League and EFL regarding players under the age of 24 moving between English clubs.

Cardiff are seemingly keen on keeping Japhet in south Wales, and it's understood the player is likely to wait for a revised contract offer from the Bluebirds before making a final decision on his future.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.