James McClean's homecoming story looks to have taken a sour turn after his club informed the 37-year-old that they intended to rip up his contract.
Cardiff City forward Cian Ashford is enjoying playing in a more central role following his eye-catching performance in the Bluebirds' Carabao Cup win over Swindon. The 21-year-old assisted Yousef Salech for the second goal in the 3-2 win and was also denied by the crossbar. Ashford spent many years playing in a central role with Cardiff's academy but his minutes for the first team have almost exclusively come on the wing.
Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway insists he would be "delighted" if the League Two side repeat last season's 2-1 defeat by Cardiff City in the EFL Cup. The Bluebirds, who thrashed Italian giants Roma 4-1 in their final pre-season friendly last weekend, kick off the season against the Robins at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST). The teams met at the same stage in the 2025-26 competition, when goals by Cian Ashford and Rubin Colwill earned Cardiff victory on their way to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Chelsea.
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