‘Too expensive’ – Cardiff City boss Bulut shuts down transfer rumour
Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut has said Besiktas midfielder Salih Ucan would be ‘too expensive’ for his side.
Cardiff City have been linked with a swoop for the Turkey international this winter. According to Fanatik, they ‘plan’ to move for him in January.
Ucan, 29, is out of contract at the end of the season. He is due to become a free agent in June 2024 unless he pens a new deal in the meantime.
Bulut has poured cold water on his team’s chances of luring him over to the Championship in the next transfer window and has said, as per WalesOnline: “I read a lot of things about this. Salih Ucan is also a player that I had at Alanyaspor where I also had Manolis Siopis. He was a good midfield player and they played really well together but we are not at that level where we can buy him.
“He will be too expensive for us. I don’t know who put it in the press, maybe his agent to try and get a new contract at Besiktas!”
Cardiff transfer stance
Bulut’s comments suggest Cardiff aren’t pursuing a deal to land Ucan. The player has slipped down the pecking order at Besiktas recently and has only played seven times this term.
Ucan was snapped up by the Istanbul giants back in 2021 from Alanyaspor and has since played 54 games altogether, chipping in with four goals. He has also spent time away on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir.
He started out at Bucaspor and Fenerbahce before having spells in Italy at Roma and Empoli. He has also spent time in Switzerland at Sion in the past.
Cardiff are doing well at the moment under Bulut and won 4-0 away at Huddersfield Town last time out as they bounced back from their 1-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers last weekend.
They are back in action tomorrow at home to Bristol City as they look to keep their momentum going. They are 7th in the table and are outside the play-offs on goal difference.
The January window gives Bulut the chance to further bolster his squad ahead of the second-half of the campaign. However, it appears Ucan won’t be making the switch to Wales.