Portsmouth and Oxford United target Gavin Whyte looks set to be released by Cardiff City, Bluebirds boss Sabri Lamouchi has admitted.
It was claimed earlier this week that Whyte was drawing interest from elsewhere as he approaches the end of his contract with Cardiff City. League One sides Portsmouth and Oxford United were both mentioned as suitors, with Whyte holding links to both sides.
Pompey are now managed by John Mousinho, who was a teammate of Whyte’s during his time at Oxford United, where he notched 10 goals and 17 assists in 86 games across two stints.
Doubt has surrounded the Northern Irishman’s future with Cardiff City for some time now. He’s found game time hard to come by having struggled to make an impact in Championship football and with his deal up at the end of the season, Bluebirds boss Lamouchi looks to have confirmed he won’t be offered a new deal.
As quoted by Wales Online, Lamouchi had this to say while discussing the club’s contracts situation:
“We will try to discuss with everyone. But for some players who never played for me, Gavin Whyte or Tom Sang, I don’t think we will offer them something.”
Heading for pastures new…
While Lamouchi put it in a pretty tactful way, it does seem that Whyte’s future doesn’t lie with Cardiff City.
A return of two goals and two assists in 53 appearances hasn’t been enough to show he can be a part of the plans moving forward. However, he could yet be a shrewd acquisition for Portsmouth, Oxford United or any other side keen.
He’s thoroughly impressed at League One level before and starred in Northern Ireland before coming over to these shores in 2018. The 20-time Northern Ireland international mainly operates on the right-wing but he has been deployed on the left before or through the middle as an attacking midfielder. At 27, he’s got plenty of good years ahead of him and ample time to get back to his dangerous best after a challenging time in South Wales.
