Bluebirds head coach Barry-Murphy has admitted he has been taken aback by how quickly his new recruit has looked ready to make an impact.
Scanlon joined League One leaders Cardiff on loan until the end of the season last Sunday, arriving with questions over his match sharpness after a long spell on the sidelines.
The 20-year-old left-back has not featured in a first-team game since January 2025, when his loan spell at Millwall was cut short by a serious hamstring injury.
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Despite that absence, Barry-Murphy says Scanlon has immediately impressed in training and could make his debut when Cardiff travel to face improving Rotherham United at the New York Stadium on Saturday.
“A brilliant addition,” said Barry-Murphy. “He's already shown this week how ready he is.
“It took me by surprise a little bit, I suppose, because he hasn't had a lot of action. But he's an elite player with elite mentality.
“He wants to improve and we feel as if we can help him enormously to improve.”
Scanlon’s arrival comes at an important stage of the season for Cardiff, whose lead at the top of League One has been trimmed to just two points following three draws in their last five matches, including a 2-2 stalemate with Burton Albion.
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Barry-Murphy’s side remain firmly on course for an immediate return to the Championship, but the head coach has acknowledged there is little margin for error as the business end of the campaign approaches.
But those within the squad looking for fresh stores of energy have been encouraged by what they have seen from Scanlon.
“I think he's a good player,” said Bluebirds winger Chris Willock.
“We've trained with him a couple of times. He looks very fast, so I'm looking forward to playing with him.”
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Cardiff head into the weekend without centre-back Dylan Lawlor, who misses out with a minor knee problem, while striker Yousef Salech and attacking midfielder Rubin Colwill remain sidelined as they continue their recoveries.
“Yousef is improving day by day. No timescale on him due to the nature of his injury,” said Barry-Murphy.
“Dylan Lawlor is expected to be back next week, so not available for Saturday.
“Rubin is back in training, but not available for Saturday. Early stages for him.
“I think he'll want to play straight away. He's flying. He just has to go through enough of the training so we know that when he comes back into the game, he's almost protected from himself as much as anything.
“But he's been back training this week and looked really good without much contact.”
While Cardiff’s focus is on maintaining their position at the summit, Rotherham United approach the fixture buoyed by a revival in form but hit by a significant injury setback.
The Millers are unbeaten in three matches and produced their most eye-catching performance of the season last weekend with a 4-0 away win at Exeter City, their first victory on the road since October.
However, that win came at a cost, with influential midfielder Dan Gore forced off in the first half after suffering a shoulder injury.
The Manchester United loanee has now been ruled out for several weeks, a major blow for a side still battling to climb clear of the relegation zone.
“Dan could be out for a number of weeks,” said Rotherham boss Matt Hamshaw. “It’s a blow, he’s been a key player for us.
“He’s done the AC joint in his shoulder. I was really disappointed with the challenge. Gorey was having an impact on the game.
“Through no fault of his own, he’s going to be out, and that’s frustrating.”
Rotherham remain in the bottom four but know that a win over the league leaders could lift them as high as 17th, underlining the significance of the contest for both clubs.
Hamshaw has bolstered his squad with late transfer business and hopes added depth can offset Gore’s absence, including the signing of Leicester City midfielder Brandon Cover.
“Brandon can play a number of positions, hence why we’ve signed him,” Hamshaw added. “He’s versatile, he’s young, he’s driven, he’s bubbly. I really like his character. I just think he’s ready to go.”
