This week, Robert Earnshaw agreed a return to Cardiff City after rejecting a new contract at Nottingham Forest. The 30-year-old elected to return to the club where he started his career and has signed a two-year deal for the Bluebirds. Earnshaw, who scored 105 goals in 205 games in his first spell at the club, turned down an offer to remain at the City Ground under Steve Mclaren and becomes the fourth signing of Malky Mackay at Cardiff.
Talking to cardiffcityfc.co.uk Earnshaw admitted his excitement at rejoining his hometown team: “It’s going to be very, very special pulling on that blue shirt again – I can’t wait.” Earnshaw has been away from Cardiff since he moved to West Bromwich Albion in 2004. He also had successful spells at Norwich City and Derby County and admits that things are very different at the club compared to when he left Ninian Park: “So much has obviously changed here, not to mention the obvious things like the new stadium and training facilities,” he said, adding: “It’s going to be a new and different Cardiff City experience for me in many respects, but what I’m looking to do here is carry on where I left off.”
One of Earnshaw’s partners at the tail end of last season at the City Ground is also on the move. Kris Boyd joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Middlesbrough in March. The former Scottish international has now permanently ended his unhappy spell on Teesside by clinching a move to Turkish Super-Lig side Eskisehirspor. Boyd scored just six goals for Boro following his move from Rangers in July 2010, a disappointing return for the Scottish Premier League’s record goal scorer.
One club not expecting any further departures are Leeds United, at least according to the clubs chairman, Ken Bates. Leeds have already lost Neil Kilkenny to Bristol City and Bradley Johnson to Norwich City on free transfers and sold Kasper Schmeichel to Leicester City last week. Rumours have abounded that the likes of Max Gradel, Robert Snodgrass and Luciano Becchio were targets for Premier League clubs, but in his weekly address to the clubs official radio station, Bates reiterated that there were no plans to sell any more players.
Speaking to Yorkshire Radio Bates said: “Nobody is leaving Leeds United, we have had one offer for a player and we said no.” He also tried to quell the growing concern of the club’s fans at a lack of incomings to the squad, which fell just short of a place in the play-offs last season. Only goalkeeper Paul Rachubka has joined the Elland Road outfit this summer, but Bates offered the fans some hope by saying: “We are in serious discussions with a number of players, we are looking to sign four players,” adding: “Our aim is to get into the Premier League and not be a breeding ground for others.”
