The Anfield left-back has revealed the way the Bluebirds play was a decisive factor in his move to south Wales.
The 20-year-old defender has arrived for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, strengthening Cardiff’s options at the back as they push for an immediate return to the Championship.
Scanlon will compete with Joel Bagan for a place on the left side of defence and is expected to come straight into head coach Barry-Murphy’s thinking.
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Scanlon, who has Europa League experience under Jurgen Klopp and spent last season on loan at Millwall, said: "When I found out that Cardiff City was interested in taking me on loan here, I was delighted.
"I know it's a massive club performing well at the moment, so it's a privilege to be here and I can't wait to get working.
"Everything about the club made me want to be here; what it stands for, to the manager and the staff, how they approach the game and the style of football they play as well.
“It’s brilliant how we attack and defend, and it’s something that I want to be a part of. I know players here as well with good technical ability, and it’s an opportunity for me to learn and to
hopefully perform as well.
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“The main thing that I want to bring is hard work. That’s a non-negotiable as when you come here there’s an expectation to perform, as long as I’m working hard defensively.
“I want to do my bit for the team and help out here so that we can push on even more.
“I attended a game here last year when we played Huddersfield Town, and the fans were amazing.
“They really support the team, it’s a good setup here and I think one of the reasons for that success as well is how much the fans are behind the players. I think that’s a big thing, and I can’t wait to meet them at the games.”
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An England youth international, Scanlon started his academy career at Birmingham City before moving to Liverpool at 15.
Cardiff believe his blend of experience and potential makes him a strong fit for their promotion charge.
Barry-Murphy revealed why Scanlon appealed to the coaching staff.
"We're very keen to involve him in our squad because of how much we feel he fits our style of play, and how much he can add to us," he said.
"He's very keen to improve all aspects of his game, which is very aligned with how our squad works.
"Coming in to compete against the players we have will be a big challenge for him, but one he's really up for."
Scanlon’s arrival comes against the backdrop of a frustrating outing for Cardiff on Saturday, when they were held to a 2-2 draw away at Burton Albion.
The result cut their advantage at the top of League One to two points.
The Bluebirds had fallen behind early to a Jake Beesley strike before Alex Robertson turned the contest around with two goals after the break. However, Kyran Lofthouse’s 78th-minute free-kick ensured the points were shared.
Barry-Murphy admitted his side were disappointed not to take all three.
“Not really content with a point,” Barry-Murphy said. “We always go for a win and once we got in front we didn’t score again to make that happen.
“I was very pleased with the response to, what by our standards, was a poor first half.
“The players implemented what I wanted from the first moments of the second half and once we got that second goal we started to show our quality and it’s a real disappointment to concede from a free-kick.
“We knew the threat Burton had from set pieces and we felt the best approach was to attack as much as we could.
“The free-kick gets a deflection which helps their player score, but we didn’t create enough quality chances to go on and win the game today.”
Despite the frustration, the Cardiff boss singled out Robertson for praise after his two-goal display.
“We expect players like Alex to arrive in the box like that and show their quality and I was very pleased with Alex’s contribution out there today,” he added.
