By Gareth James
Erol Bulut insists new loan signing Famara Diédhiou can rediscover his goalscoring touch with Cardiff City in the Championship.
The Bluebirds manager has made Diedhiou his second recruit of the January transfer window, even though the Senegal striker has only scored one goal in the past year for his Spanish club, Granada.
Diedhiou had a much more convincing strike rate when he was at Bristol City where he scored 46 goals in 154 league games between 2017 and 2021.
Cardiff City are set to sign Senegal striker Famara Diedhiou on loan ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/HuSHbacnlm
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) January 31, 2024
The 31-year-old has only managed one goal in 19 appearances since moving to Spain, but Bulut was impressed by the forward’s record in Turkey at one of Bulut’s former clubs, Alanyaspor, where he scored 11 goals in 28 appearances after leaving Bristol.
“Famara is a good striker and the good thing is that he knows the league,” said Bulut.
“He played for Bristol City for four years and scored more than 50 goals there in all competitions.
“The players around him are also important, but I know him from Turkey when he was with Alanyaspor.
“Famara wants to show himself again and I hope he can do that with Cardiff City until the end of the season.”
https://twitter.com/BBCSportWales/status/1752771723324252303?s=20
Diedhiou has won 27 caps for Senegal, but although he scored for them at the 2022 World Cup, he was left out of their squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations,
He becomes Cardiff’s second loan signing after Liverpool defender Nat Phillips.
He also follows a long line of recent recruits from Bristol City that includes Lee Tomlin, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Aden Flint, Marlon Pack and Callum O’Dowda.
Famara Diédhiou has joined the #Bluebirds on loan from Granada CF for the remainder of the campaign. ✍️
Read more about our second January recruit ⬇️#CityAsOne | @famara2001
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) January 31, 2024
Diedhiou said: “I knew the gaffer before from when I played in Turkey. It was easy with him and I’m happy to join the team.
“I also had a message from Callum O’Dowda; we had a little conversation before I joined and I’ll be happy to see him again.
“I played in the Championship before, played many games and scored many goals, so I’m coming back today ready to work and with confidence. I want to do the maximum for the team.
“My confidence is high. I’m ready to do my best for the team. I know I have scored a lot of goals in the Championship, so I hope to do it again.”
Erol Bulut’un çalıştırdığı Cardiff City; Siopis ve Goutas’ın ardından şimdi de Süper Lig’in gediklilerinden Badou Ndiaye ile prensipte anlaşmış. Hocaya en son hala 1 santrafor daha lazımdı, bakalım o da buralardan mı olacak? pic.twitter.com/zbPMb3Dxut
— Berat Kunt (@fenernesto) January 29, 2024
