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FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit discussed Yousef Salech's blistering impact for the club and a potential big-money sale further down the line

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Cardiff City have been backed to land a significant profit on Yousef Salech, who has hit the ground running impressively since arriving in the Welsh capital in January.

The Bluebirds undertook something of a gamble by acquiring the striker from Swedish side Sirius in a deal worth up to £3.3 million. Salech, who celebrated his 23rd birthday by officially signing on the dotted line, had scored 12 goals in 28 appearances for Sirius in the 2024 campaign but represented an unknown quantity in English football.

However, he has spared no time in acclimating and offering a huge helping hand in Cardiff's continued efforts to stave off relegation to League One.

The Danish-born frontman made an eye-catching cameo appearance from the bench on debut in Cardiff's 3-0 South Wales derby thrashing of Swansea City - where his imperious physical frame and willingness to get in amongst it with opposition defenders instantly stood out - before opening his account with a 97th-minute equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw at Millwall days later.

Salech hasn't looked back since. He found the back of the net in Cardiff's FA Cup fourth-round win away to Stoke City and has added further goals against Bristol City, Plymouth Argyle. Burnley and Blackburn Rovers, taking his tally up to six strikes from just 14 games.

Indeed, he has only started six times in the Championship and has played 614 minutes of league football. He is currently working up an average of 0.73 league goals per 90 minutes and is outperforming his xG by over a goal too, and it's all the more impressive considering he is leading the line for a side which has created the second-fewest big chances in the division this term.

Cardiff, who are 21st at this moment in time, remain in real danger of suffering relegation to League One despite claiming a potentially-huge 2-1 victory at Blackburn prior to the international break.

However, one must wonder where exactly they would find themselves without the services of Salech, who is already representing an inspired purchase and appears poised to net the club a handsome profit in the not-too-distant future.

Cardiff City verdict offered on Yousef Salech's form

FLW asked our resident Bluebirds fan pundit, Matt Hall, if he fears that Salech could get prized away before long - especially if Cardiff suffer relegation - and just what sort of fee the club would be able to command for his signature.

Matt has been mightily impressed with Salech thus far, and believes the striker is shaping up to be a "very shrewd purchase".

"Regarding Yousef Salech, we all watched the YouTube clips as soon as the name came out, we're all very impressed by what we saw, but everything we've actually got is far more than we were ever expecting," Matt told FLW.

"He has been a revelation.

"Often, though, with strikers at Cardiff, how you start your career is often how well things will go in the future. He came on [for his debut] in the South Wales Derby after a 3-0 win in the final ten minutes, and the first thing he did was crush into a Swansea defender and knocked him off the pitch.

"Then he just pressed and pressed and pressed, and then scored midweek v Millwall and I don't think you can have a better start to your career than that.

"He's benefitted from that, confidence has been high ever since he started. He's also benefitted from coming in and not being relied on as we've already got Callum Robinson, who is one of the top scorers in the division.

"But yeah, very shrewd purchase, very good buy and these are the sort of deals we've said the club need to make. £3-4 million is nothing compared to what you would get now.

Cardiff City tipped to retain Yousef Salech amid potential transfer fee

Given the explosive start Salech has enjoyed to his City career, supporters are growing in fear about losing him this summer. That worry would, of course, be amplified if Cardiff were to suffer relegation, but Matt has tipped his side to stay in the Championship and believes they will be able to retain him this summer.

According to Matt, Salech could net Cardiff a £10 million sum if they were to cash in this summer, and has predicted the forward to leave next summer if the team fails to kick up the league table in 25/26. However, he has claimed Salech could be the man to help inspire owner Vincent Tan's desperate, though ever-fading, hope of leading Cardiff back to the Premier League.

"However, if Cardiff did go down, I think we would be resigned to losing him," Matt continued.

"I think that goes for anyone half-decent left in our squad, the only example you can point out where that didn't happen is Birmingham because of what they've got going there, they kept players but even then, they still lost a few.

"We'd have no chance.

"But I don't think we will go down. If we stay up, he has four years left on his contract until 2029 I believe, we would have all the power.

"He's only just settled here and has really brought in with the fans, he's not the sort of character - I don't think - that would push for a move straight away. If he carries on this rate of scoring, I think he's a 15-20 goal man and, at 24 next summer, he'd probably move on if we haven't made progress.

"But it's too early for him to move on just yet. I think if we were to command a fee right now, you would be looking to hit the £10 million mark with add-ons.

"Mark McGuinness was that sort of fee, I think we've seen a bit of a change in Cardiff over the last 12 to 18 months.

"Isaak Davies was being looked at for £2 million back when he was linked to Burnley whereas now our players are seemingly linked to clubs for a lot more money.

"We're a bit more streetwise with that now, we don't need to sell. The owner is desperate for Premier League football and I don't see him selling his star asset.