Swansea City boss makes admission on Cardiff City’s January transfer window

Swansea City boss Russell Martin has hailed Cardiff City’s transfer business during the winter window, lauding ‘brilliant’ signings as he spoke to Wales Online ahead of this afternoon’s derby.

The Bluebirds were in desperate need of reinforcements at the start of the year in their quest to force their way out of relegation danger, something they didn’t previously look like they could do considering their financial worries from last year.

Chairman Mehmet Dalman previously admitted that the second-tier side were struggling financially due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and were seeking ‘extra finances’, a bleak outlook for Cardiff supporters who had endured an underwhelming summer window under former boss Mick McCarthy last year.

However, the second-tier outfit moved decisively to secure their top targets, with Cody Drameh, Tommy Doyle, Alfie Doughty, Jordan Hugill and Uche Ikpeazu all arriving on temporary spells until the end of the season.

This business has been particularly important with two key assets in Ryan Giles and Kieffer Moore leaving the club in January, departures that would have threatened the Welsh outfit’s second-tier status without adequate replacements coming in.

Thankfully for manager Steve Morison, all five have made a real impact, with Drameh showing his quality going forward, Hugill vastly improving from his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion and Ikpeazu scoring vital winners against the likes of Barnsley and Derby County to get them out of danger.

Counterpart Martin has commented on this business – and admitted he is just as impressed as many others with the transfer deals their arch-rivals were able to get over the line.

He said: “They made some brilliant signings in January in terms of