Injury-hit Cardiff weighing up free-agent options

Manager Brian Barry-Murphy says Cardiff City are monitoring the free-agent market as an injury-hit and winless Championship start has reduced the Irishman's options.

The Bluebirds' lack of depth has come under scrutiny with 15-year-old Noah Anyadike and 16-year-old Paul Moreno named on the bench against Stoke City in midweek.

Barry-Murphy insists both youngsters, however, have earned their places in the matchday squad.

"Those players were on the bench because they've done really well and they were deserving of it," he said.

"If we had signed more players, then maybe they wouldn't have been, but they are and I'm very pleased with them.

"There were very similar players in a similar position last season who've now become mainstays in the team. They all have to start somewhere."

Cardiff are still without Dylan Lawlor, Will Fish, Calum Chambers and Isaak Davies, while Rubin Colwill faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday's trip to Bolton Wanderers after suffering ankle irritation.

The injury setbacks have increased focus on Cardiff's recruitment after a summer that brought only four new signings.

Barry-Murphy had suggested the club were keen to do business after KrystianBielik's arrival, but transfer deadline day passed by with no more players coming in.

"We have to have an awareness of all the players who are available," he said.

"Based on how the window is, we monitor everything. The recruitment team here are across everything.

"It's a different time frame. All the players in the unattached market have different options all over the world. You just have to see what we need and what they have available. It's an ongoing thing."

Barry-Murphy also downplayed speculation linking Cardiff with Wales international Rabbi Matondo following his departure from Norwegian side Brann.

"There's nothing in that," he said.

"He's a player I know, obviously. He was at Manchester City before I was there."

For now, Cardiff's focus must be on getting key players back on the pitch.

Ryan Wintle's departure appeared to leave a gap in midfield for the Bluebirds, but Alex Robertson has stepped up to play that role, with his manager saying the player has gone up "another level" this season.

Lawlor is making encouraging progress and could return when they host Charlton Athletic at Cardiff City Stadium on 19 September (12:30 BST), while Fish is expected to resume full training during the upcoming international break in September.

"Once we get Dylan and Will back, we'll be in a really strong and healthy position," Barry-Murphy said.

The outlook is less clear for Chambers, who is nursing knee, neck and back issues.

"He's been in the wars a bit," Barry-Murphy added. "It's quite difficult to put a timescale on when he returns."

Cardiff are expected to be without Davies, who has a hamstring injury, for three weeks.