Cardiff City's Gareth Bale race is ran but their Championship marathon is just getting started

While clearly the overarching feeling will be one of disappointment for Cardiff City fans, Gareth Bale signing for Los Angeles FC on Saturday finally means a line can now thankfully be drawn under the whole saga.

The improbable signing of Bale would have, of course, represented a huge boon for the Bluebirds. Talks were held, offers were put forward, friends and managers believed a move to the Welsh capital would work and "tick boxes", but ultimately it was down to the Wales captain to decide where his future lay. That, for the next year at least, will be in California.

The silver lining here is that Cardiff fans can now move on and concentrate on what is actually going on at the club. We were told for months the Bluebirds were planning their recruitment based on not having Bale sign for them and that is exactly what they have done. Cardiff were never going to be built around Bale next season, but around a core of young, hungry players and new signings from here, there and everywhere.

The Bale news should not sully the two other very important and extremely positive bits of business Cardiff conducted over the last two days. Andy Rinomhota's signing from Reading should not go under the radar. Royals fans are extremely disappointed to see their 2019 player of the season leave and, at 25, Cardiff will be getting a player not yet in his prime and with lots to offer.

And then there is the best news of the summer for many City supporters, with fans' favourite Joe Ralls signing a two-year contract extension, which will take his time at the club to 14 years upon completion. “We're going into a new era, with new players, and it is something I'm really excited about," Ralls said on Saturday. "I'm looking forward to getting my head