Aaron Ramsey has emerged as the clear favorite to take over at Cardiff City as the Welsh club confirms their summer training plans despite still searching for a permanent manager. The relegated side will head to Murcia, Spain for pre-season preparations despite the frustratingly protracted hunt for a new boss.
The Bluebirds find themselves preparing for life in League One after their relegation last season - their first drop to England's third tier since 2002/03.
"We're progressing with our pre-season plans regardless of the managerial situation," a club source revealed. "The training camp in Spain is confirmed and will be vital preparation for the upcoming League One campaign."
Cardiff's warm-weather training camp will conclude with a friendly fixture at the Pinatar Arena on Saturday, July 12, though opponents for this match remain unconfirmed. The club has indicated additional pre-season fixtures will be arranged before the 2025/26 campaign kicks off.
Interestingly, the managerial appointment timeline has now shifted, with a decision not expected until next week at the earliest. With Nathan Jones firmly out of the running after committing his future to Charlton Athletic, Ramsey's position as frontrunner has strengthened considerably.
Jones, who had been heavily linked with a return to his boyhood club, put an end to speculation by signing a new long-term deal with Charlton on Friday.
"I'm very proud and delighted," Jones stated. "I still had three years left but for the club to come to me and want to continue that journey meant a lot to me because it's a club that I love."
Ramsey, the 34-year-old Wales legend, has already experienced the hot seat at Cardiff during a brief interim period following Omer Riza's dismissal. However, he couldn't prevent the club's relegation during that stint.
Other candidates reportedly in the frame include Brian Barry-Murphy, Des Buckingham, and Ian Evatt - but will any of them overtake Ramsey in the race for the Cardiff job? The Bluebirds fans face an anxious wait to discover who'll lead their promotion push.
