Exclusive: Cardiff City launch enquiry for Peterborough United star | OneFootball

Cardiff City have made an enquiry for Peterborough United's Ricky-Jade Jones, Football League World has learned

Cardiff City have launched an enquiry for Peterborough United's Ricky-Jade Jones, Football League World can exclusively reveal.

The Bluebirds are known to be in the market for additional striking options this month following a dismal first-half of the 2024/25 Championship campaign, which has left Omer Riza's side in the mire of a relegation battle.

Cardiff are unbeaten in their last three matches, having played out recent draws with both Middlesbrough and Coventry City after claiming a first away victory of the season at Watford on December 29, but results elsewhere mean they're still stuck in 23rd position and remain level on points with 21st-placed Portsmouth.

They can ill-afford to suffer relegation to English football's third-tier, and the club's third relegation dogfight in four seasons is likely to necessitate quick additions to Riza's squad in the coming weeks.

Cardiff City make enquiry for Peterborough United's Ricky Jade-Jones

As per Football League World sources, Cardiff have made an enquiry to the League One side over the services of Jones, though it's not yet clear whether Peterborough are going to accept the proposal.

The top-end of the pitch has been a real problem for Cardiff, who are short-staffed in attacking personnel at the minute. Top scorer Callum Robinson will miss the side's next two games against Sheffield United and Watford after serving the first match of a three-fixture suspension away at Middlesbrough for his contentious dismissal versus Coventry, while Cardiff are negotiating an early termination of Wilfried Kanga's loan from Hertha Berlin - with the Ivorian frontman yet to open his account from 15 appearances.

With Kion Etete and Isaak Davies both still sidelined from respective long-term hamstring injuries picked up in pre-season, Cardiff need reinforcements and are clearly intent on conducting their business early.

It's understood that Jones has emerged as a target following some eye-catching form for Peterborough over the last two seasons. Jones' contract expires at the end of the season but Posh will be able to collect a fee for the striker due to his age, which will eventually be decided at a tribunal unless he pens fresh terms between now and the conclusion of the campaign.

The 22-year-old has scored 12 times in 30 matches across all competitions this term, after finding the back of the net on 13 occasions last time out. Jones is also known to be extremely quick, having gained a reputation as the fastest player in League One, and has previously clocked up a 100m time of 10.9 - less than 1.4 seconds slower than Usain Bolt's 100m record.

Jones' form in 2023/24 prompted interest from second-tier promotion hopefuls Sheffield United, who had reportedly agreed a deal which was scuppered due to the club's ongoing takeover - which has since been completed.

Peterborough United's Ricky-Jade Jones may not come cheap for Cardiff City

It's not yet clear just how much Cardiff are willing to offer for the forward's services or whether it comes close to the region required for Peterborough to give consideration, but what we do know is that he's not going to come cheap.

Peterborough have an excellent record at developing EFL talent - forwards in particular, as the likes of Ivan Toney, Dwight Gayle, Britt Assombalonga and Sammie Szmodics can testify for - and chairman Darragh MacAnthony is known to drive a hard bargain for his side's prized assets.

MacAnthony previously admitted that six clubs in total tried to purchase Jones prior to the start of the season, and declared the Posh attacker as a striker "everyone wants to buy in January". MacAnthony predicted Peterborough could sell Jones for even more than hotshot winger Kwame Poku, who has emerged among the most outstanding players in League One this season.

In November, he told the Peterborough Telegraph: "It’s lift off time for Ricky.

"Ricky has added regular goals to his game and he will be a striker everyone wants to buy in January. A club agreed to buy him in the summer, but their takeover didn’t go through on time and now his price has gone up.

"Ricky could go for even more than Kwame as he’s been with us since he was seven."