Key Points
- Omari Kellyman’s situation has changed, with Chelsea revisiting plans around his future and Cardiff City still keeping track of developments.
- Cardiff remain in discussions over Jens Hjerto-Dahl, but Tromsø have now made a counter-offer after Cardiff’s package was reported to be worth more than 100 million kroner including add-ons.
- Rival interest in Hjerto-Dahl has grown, with RB Salzburg, Feyenoord and at least one other Championship club mentioned in the latest reporting.
- Axel Donczew is also attracting outside attention, with Arsenal said to be closing in on the Cardiff City youngster.
- Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy has said the club know what they need in the market, but that moves can take time to complete.
Cardiff City (Cardiff Daily) July 27, 2026 – As reported by the WalesOnline football team, Omari Kellyman’s situation has shifted after he was seen with Chelsea’s first-team group on their pre-season trip to Australia, despite earlier expectations that he would be moved out on loan again this summer.
The report says Kellyman, who had been expected to spend another year away from Stamford Bridge, was initially thought likely to leave as soon as possible, with Chelsea previously keen to get a temporary deal sorted and even to keep him out of their pre-season squad. That plan appears to have changed after an injury to Geovany Quenda opened up a place on the tour, allowing Kellyman to join the group instead.
WalesOnline reports that this does not rule out another loan move for Kellyman this summer, but it does alter the timing and makes any decision on his future less immediate.
Cardiff remain interested because of his impact last season, when the article says he scored 11 goals and became an important attacking player for Brian Barry-Murphy’s side.
Why does Chelsea’s change of plan matter to Cardiff?
For Cardiff, the main issue is that Kellyman’s availability may now be less straightforward than it looked earlier in the window. The report says the Bluebirds had hoped to be in a strong position to bring him back after his productive spell in Wales.
WalesOnline also says Barry-Murphy and assistant Lee Riley have existing links with Chelsea recruitment chief Joe Shields from their Manchester City academy days, which may help keep communication open between the clubs. That does not guarantee a deal, but it does explain why Cardiff are still closely monitoring the situation.
The report places Kellyman’s case in a wider summer strategy at Cardiff, where the club are still working through multiple targets rather than relying on one move. That means his future may be tied to the pace of other negotiations rather than being resolved in isolation.
The article says Cardiff are in advanced talks with Tromsø after putting forward a package valued at over 100 million kroner, including add-ons. It also says the Norwegian club have now come back with their own counter-offer, which suggests the negotiation has reached a more active stage.
WalesOnline reports that Hjerto-Dahl is expected to feature in Tromsø’s upcoming Europa League qualifier before anything is finalised.
The report also notes that Tromsø sporting director Lars Petter Kræmer-Andersen has previously said the club are under no pressure to sell.
Who else wants Hjerto-Dahl?
Interest in Hjerto-Dahl is no longer limited to Cardiff, according to the report. WalesOnline says Nordlys initially suggested RB Salzburg and Feyenoord were ready to compete for the midfielder, before later revising the picture to place Salzburg and an unnamed Championship club as the main challengers.
The same report says Feyenoord and other clubs are still watching the situation, even if they are not as advanced in their interest.
That leaves Cardiff in a stronger position than some rivals in terms of how long they have been negotiating, but not in a position to assume the deal is secure.
Barry-Murphy’s public comments suggest Cardiff are trying to stay patient rather than forcing an outcome. The WalesOnline report quotes him saying:
“We are clear on what we need and who we want; it just takes time.”
The report says Donczew has already made two first-team appearances for Cardiff, both in cup competitions, which is one reason why he has begun to draw wider attention.
It also frames the interest as part of Arsenal’s academy recruitment rather than an immediate senior-team transfer move.
This matters for Cardiff because it adds another layer to their summer activity: the club are not only trying to bring players in, but also managing the possibility of losing young talent to bigger clubs.
The same report links Cardiff’s spending plans to the Hjerto-Dahl chase, suggesting the club are balancing investment in recruitment with the protection of their own development pathway.
What does Cardiff’s transfer strategy look like?
Taken together, the reports show a Cardiff window built around both short-term squad needs and longer-term squad building. Cardiff are still pushing for Hjerto-Dahl, are tracking Kellyman’s uncertain Chelsea situation, and are also dealing with outside interest in Donczew.
The pattern suggests Cardiff are operating in a market where timing matters as much as money. In Hjerto-Dahl’s case, the club are negotiating with a selling side that is not under immediate pressure, while in Kellyman’s case they are dependent on Chelsea’s decision-making.
Barry-Murphy’s remarks indicate Cardiff are trying to keep those talks calm and controlled. That is often how transfer windows unfold when a club is dealing with several different types of deal at once: a loan, a permanent signing and the possible retention of a young prospect.
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Background of the development
Cardiff City’s transfer activity has been shaped by a mix of promotion pressure, squad rebuilding and interest in younger players.
Kellyman previously spent time at Cardiff on loan and, according to the reports, produced a strong attacking return that made a reunion possible this summer.
Hjerto-Dahl has emerged as a more ambitious target, with Cardiff prepared to spend heavily for a player who has drawn attention beyond Wales and beyond England.
Donczew, meanwhile, represents the other side of modern recruitment: a talented academy player who can attract major clubs before he is fully established.
Prediction
For Cardiff supporters, the most immediate effect is likely to be uncertainty rather than a quick conclusion. Kellyman’s return now looks less straightforward, Hjerto-Dahl may take longer because of the counter-offer and rival interest, and Donczew’s situation shows Cardiff may also need to defend their own talent pool.
For the wider Cardiff audience, that means the next stage of the window could define whether the club strengthen with one major signing, add depth through a loan, or face pressure from bigger clubs on both incoming and outgoing fronts.
In practical terms, the development could shape Cardiff’s attacking options, their budget for other targets and the club’s ability to hold onto emerging prospects.
