Cardiff City completed the signing of Yanic Wildschut on loan yesterday from Norwich City for the rest of the season in order to enhance their attacking firepower. Neil Warnock has been an admirer of Wildschut and has finally been able to get him at his disposal. It was not easy for the Wales-based club to get him onboard but having sealed the deal they now further have the option to sign him permanently at the end of the season.
The Bluebirds are very much in the contention to pave their way to the Premier League as they are enjoying a superb season in the Championship. Under the tutelage of Warnock this term they are currently placed at the 3rd spot in the league table. The top-two spots grant an automatic promotion and given that Wolverhampton Wanderers are running away with the league title, Cardiff City must be desirous for a 2nd spot finish.
Signing Wildschut looks like an astute deal at the onset. He is an output of Ajax’s renowned youth academy and despite the fact that he couldn’t find a place in their senior side, he hit the right chords whilst plying his trade for FC Zwolle, VVV-Velno and SC Heerenveen. He was introduced to English football by Middlesbrough after the Smoggies signed him in the summer of 2014 and then moved to the ranks of Wigan Athletic.
He played a pivotal role for the Latics in the 2015-16 campaign, scoring 9 goals in League One and helping them to clinch the League One title. He moved to the Carrow Road in the January transfer window last year but failed to dazzle the way he was expected to. Wildschut can ply his trade on either wing and can also operate effectively from the central areas and his versatility would be a galvanizing asset for Warnock’s side.
The 26-year-old will offer goals and creativity in the final third and his experience of having played in England should help Cardiff City. Kadeem Harris hasn’t recovered fully yet while Anthony Pilkington is looking all set for an exit and if he actually departs, it would leave Warnock with three out-and-out wingers in Junior Hoilett, Liam Feeney and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. In a situation like this, Wildschut would be an ideal player to have.
Amongst his strongest suits are his ability to dribble with relative ease and the way he looks to find the right passes in the final third. The Dutchman has perennially been a serious counter-attacking threat to the opposition. He wasn’t given an adequate number of opportunities by Daniel Farke this season at Norwich City and thus, he would have a point to prove, which might bring the best out of him.
