Cardiff City chief executive Simon Lim has ruled out the possibility of the club spending any money during the January transfer window, Sky Sports understands.
After earning three points against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Bluebirds’ boss Malky Mackay told reporters he would speak to club owner Vincent Tan about the prospect of bringing in three new players in the New Year.
The turbulent relationship between Mackay and Tan has lead bookmakers to slice the odds — from 12/1 to 7/2 — on the former becoming the next English Premier League manager to get sacked.
According to reports, Mackay, whose current contract expires in the summer of 2016, was close to resigning after Tan replaced head of recruitment Iain Moody with inexperienced, 23-year-old Alisher Apsalyamov last month.
But Mackay could actually end up owing the club a large sum should he decide to resign, meaning that Tan would likely have to sack the 41-year-old boss if he is unhappy with his return on investment.
“Tan Sri Vincent Tan was extremely upset to read quotes from the manager concerning the possibility of new recruits, before he had been informed whether funds would be made available,” said Lim.
“He believes that doing so unfairly raises supporter expectations, placing unnecessary pressure on the club.
“His view is that due to the funds already committed, including the originally authorised summer transfer budget of £35m that rose to £50m in total, including add-ons, the manager has been fully supported.
“The overspending of £15m has upset Tan Sri greatly, resulting in the removal on Iain Moody as head of recruitment. As such, he has stated that not a single penny will be made available in January.
“Having been the highest-spending promoted club and the seventh-highest spender in the Premier League last summer, the owner believes that the manager has been given the best possible chance of retaining our Premier League status.”
Cardiff (4-5-7), currently in 15th-place in the league table (four points above the relegation zone), will travel to Anfield to take on a in-form Liverpool side at the weekend.
Luis Suarez, who has tallied eight goals and three assists in his last three Premier League appearances, has scored more goals (17) than 10 top-flight clubs, including Cardiff, this season.
As a result, the Uruguay international, 26, is just 5/1 to bag a hat-trick on Saturday.
Martial unlikely to leave Monaco on loan
Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas does not expect the club to secure a loan move for AS Monaco striker Anthony Martial due to the injury concerns over Colombian ace Radamel Falcao.
Martial, who joined Monaco from Lyon in a deal worth €5 million in the summer, has impressed in limited opportunities for Les Rouge et Blanc, netting two goals and one assist in five league appearances.
The France youth international, 18, has started four consecutive Ligue 1 matches for the top-flight newcomers, and Monaco have won each of the aforementioned fixtures.
“I knew from another French club that Martial could have been loaned, but it happened before Falcao got injured,” said Aulas.
“Then I called Monaco vice-chairman Vadim Vasyliev who told me if there would be any opportunity he would tell me, but so far coach Claudio Ranieri doesn’t want to let him go.
“The case is at a dead end. I should have never talked about that.”
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