Will Vaulks during his spell with Rotherham. (Getty Images)
According to Wales Online, Cardiff City are interested in signing Welsh international midfielder Will Vaulks from recently-relegated club Rotherham United, with reports claiming that playoff finalists Derby County are also in the race to sign the 25-year-old.
Wales Online understands that the Bluebirds have monitored the central midfielder for quite some time now and the 25-year-old is believed to be one of Neil Warnock’s top targets for the summer.
There were speculations earlier in the week that Cardiff were set to announce the signing of Vaulks by Tuesday but sources close to the club have revealed that no such agreement has been reached just yet. (h/t Wales online)
Vaulks was one of the few shining lights of Rotherham’s otherwise disappointing campaign in the Championship this past season, as the Millers finished third-last and suffered relegation back to League One after just a single season in the second-tier.
The 25-year-old earned rave reviews for his consistently impressive performances this past season and it is no surprise to see that the likes of Cardiff City and Derby County are prepared to offer him an escape route to stay in the Championship.
Vaulks accumulated an impressive 7 goals and 7 assists in 41 Championship outings for Rotherham United last term, with his scintillating run of form catching the eye of Wales boss Ryan Giggs, who handed the 25-year-old his first senior international cap back in March.
A youth product of Tranmere Rovers, Vaulks rose to prominence north of the border at Falkirk in the Scottish Championship. The Welshman registered 142 appearances for Falkirk in all competitions over the course of four seasons before moving back to England to join Rotherham in the Championship back in 2016.
His first season at New York Stadium ended in relegation to League One but Vaulks was one of the architects of his club’s promotion-winning campaign in the third-tier in the following campaign. The Millers might have suffered the drop once again but the 25-year-old looks likely to play in the Championship next season.
Essentially a central midfielder by trade, Will Vaulks has the versatility to switch between defensive and box-to-box roles in the middle of the park. A strong, tenacious and hard-working midfielder noted for his drive, determination and tough-tackling nature, the 25-year-old has the ability to shoulder both defensive and attacking responsibilities.
Adept at breaking up the play and winning possession back for his team with crucial interventions, the Welshman’s awareness to make late attacking runs into the box coupled with his eye for key passes and set-piece ability make him a good all-around player in the middle.
Vaulks averaged 4 aerial duels, 2.2 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 2.3 clearances, 4.3 successful long balls and 1.5 key passes per game in the Championship this past season.
To put things into perspective, Cardiff City have every reason to make Will Vaulks a top priority this summer, given that the Bluebirds have lost quite a few of their key players in the middle of the park in recent times.
Long-standing Icelandic international Aron Gunnarsson departed the club to join Qatari side Al-Arabi, while loanees Victor Camarasa and Harry Arter and back at their parent clubs Real Betis and Bournemouth respectively.
The departures of last season’s mainstays Gunnarsson, Arter and Camarasa have left Warnock short of cover in central midfield, although the manager still has the likes of Leandro Bacuna, Jazz Richards and Joe Ralls to call upon.
However, one can get the feeling that bringing in Will Vaulks, who was quite brilliant playing for a bottom-table outfit in the Championship last season, could possibly add another dimension to Cardiff’s midfield.
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Indeed, the arrival of Vaulks would provide Warnock with much-needed cover and competition in a key area of the pitch, and given that the 25-year-old isn’t likely to cost the Bluebirds a fortune, they should complete this deal at the earliest before the other teams begin to firm up their interest.