Cardiff City’s hopes of appointing Aaron Ramsey as full-time manager appear to have hit the buffers, with the Wales captain set to continue his playing career in Mexico.
Ramsey, who was briefly in charge as interim boss following the dismissal of Omer Riza, had been strongly tipped to take the reins permanently but is understood to have agreed terms over the weekend with Club Universidad Nacional, widely known as Pumas UNAM.
Despite failing to keep Cardiff in the Championship during his short stint, there remained significant support — both internally and among fans — for the 34-year-old to lead the club’s rebuild in League One.
However, that possibility seems to now have been firmly ruled out, with Ramsey choosing to sign for Pumas, a Guadalajara-based club who finished sixth in the Mexican top flight and will feature in the CONCACAF Champions Cup next season.
“There’s a lot to play for and that World Cup is a massive carrot being dangled,” Ramsey said in April, reiterating his desire to remain on the pitch and lead Wales into the next FIFA World Cup.
His decision marks a historic move, potentially making Ramsey the first high-profile British player to feature in Mexico’s Liga MX.
It also reflects his ambition to stay match-fit and play a key role in international football despite recent injury struggles, including ongoing rehabilitation from hamstring surgery.
The midfielder, who returned to Cardiff City in 2023 amid much fanfare, shares the same agent as Pumas head coach Efraín Juárez, a connection believed to have facilitated the cross-continental switch.
For Cardiff, Ramsey’s move is a major blow.
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His exit, combined with Nathan Jones’s decision to commit his future to Charlton Athletic, has thrown the club’s managerial plans into chaos.
An announcement on the next permanent boss was anticipated early this week, but that timeline is now uncertain.
With both Ramsey and Jones out of the running, the spotlight has turned to Des Buckingham, the former Oxford United head coach who had already gone through the interview process.
Buckingham has now emerged as the leading candidate, but may be far from first choice.
The club’s recruitment process, supported by an external agency, produced a shortlist that was submitted to owner Vincent Tan for final approval.
But after recent developments, Cardiff may be forced to revisit earlier options or cast the net wider.
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It all means Cardiff are still without a permanent manager, eight weeks after dismissing Riza, and with just eight weeks remaining until the new League One season kicks off.
The prolonged delay has led to mounting criticism from supporters, particularly as uncertainty continues to cloud the club's immediate future following their relegation from the Championship.
The Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust has publicly condemned the club’s leadership, accusing them of failing to act with the necessary urgency or transparency.
In a message to members, the Trust described the current state of communication as an "information vacuum," highlighting the lack of updates on the manager search as a growing concern among fans.
In their strongly worded statement, the Trust emphasised the importance of this appointment given the club's recent mis-steps, saying: “Fans are very concerned about the appointment of a new manager in our new situation in League 1… getting it right for next season… is a bigger priority than ever.”
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The group also criticised the silence from club officials, pointing out that since April 29, the club’s website has failed to mention any progress on the recruitment front.
Since May’s relegation, a host of names have been floated in connection with the role, including Jones, Brian Barry-Murphy, Ian Evatt, Buckingham, and Ramsey.
Despite this speculation, no official announcements have been made, leading fans to rely on rumours and media speculation in the absence of any formal communication from the club.
Doubts remain over whether owner Vincent Tan will ultimately act on any external advice.
The Trust summed up fan sentiment by questioning whether Tan would make a decision based on professional recommendations or rely, once again, on what they described as his own “special kind of footballing expertise.”
