Cardiff have signed Everton striker Oumar Niasse on loan for the rest of the season.
Niasse becomes Cardiff’s first signing of the January transfer window and he could be quickly followed by Nantes striker Emiliano Sala, who is expected to undergo a medical on Friday.
“I’m relieved because I thought it was done yesterday,” Cardiff manager Neil Warnock said when told at the end of his pre-match press conference for Saturday’s game at Newcastle that the Niasse deal had been completed.
“It has been a little bit unrestful this morning, something I could have done without.
“But it’s nice to know that he’s available for selection (at Newcastle). Now it’s all sorted out I can just concentrate on the game.”
Warnock revealed that his former Sheffield United player Phil Jagielka, now at Everton, had spoken highly to him of Niasse.
“Jagielka said he’d be my type of player and do well for us,” Warnock said.
“When I look at the squad there’s not many players on loan who are like Niasse.
“I wanted (Nathaniel) Clyne but that meant I wouldn’t have been able to get Niasse because of the loan rules.
“So it could be fate and now he’s got this opportunity to put himself in the shop window.”
Senegal striker Niasse, 28, has had a bit-part role at Goodison Park since arriving in a £14million deal in January 2016, going out on loan to Hull two years ago.
Sala is expected to become Cardiff’s second January signing in a club-record deal, although the transfer is unlikely to be completed in time for him to feature at Newcastle.
“We’re optimistic about that,” Warnock said.
“It’s around £15million, but that’s what strikers cost. I like him, he’s a hard worker.
“He’s not going to knock the walls down but we need strikers. So if I could get both I would.
“But not for Newcastle, because you’ve got to do a proper medical.”