Dan James deserves a move back to the Premier League this summer, his Wales boss Rob Page has insisted. James spent last season on loan at Fulham, but went down with Leeds United’s sinking ship as he returned to the relegated club once the campaign was over.

When their contracts expire on 30 June, Cardiff City will bid farewell to striker Connor Wickham and Northern Ireland winger Gavin Whyte, among other players. Wickham, a former £8m signing for Sunderland back in 2011, joined Cardiff on a temporary deal in February. The 30-year-old managed to find the net once in his 12 appearances for the club.

Swansea City defender Kyle Naughton has agreed to a fresh one-year contract that will prolong his tenure with the club until the conclusion of June 2024. The 34-year-old’s existing agreement was set to conclude later this month, but he has reached an understanding that guarantees his presence in the Swansea squad for an additional year.

Tom Lockyer has reflected on his day of “mixed emotions” after being given the all clear following his heart scare during Luton’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final win over Coventry last month. The 28-year-old defender fell to the floor early in the game and was subsequently taken to the Cleveland Clinic in London where he underwent an operation.

Cardiff City’s players shouldn’t have any worries about whether or not their new boss Erol Bulut can lead them out of the disaster that was last season. The Turk has already proved how cool, calm and reliable he can be in a crisis, helping out his former players after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and Syria on Monday, 6 February.

Former Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay had ex-Swansea City man Yan Dhanda to thank for keeping Stirling County in the Scottish Premier League. Mackay – who took Cardiff into the Premier League in 2013 – admitted it was one of the craziest games of his managerial career.

Gareth Bale is poised to return to the Wales squad – but as a mentor, rather than a maestro on the field. Wales manager Rob Page has held talks this week with Bale about a formal role that will tap into his vast knowledge and expertise, but will not involve coaching. Bale is living in LA and has been playing a lot of golf since he retired from football in January, but Page has kept in regular contact and views the former captain as an asset on the route to qualification for Euro 2024.

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan has claimed new manager Erol Bulut will enable the club to attract “higher profile players” in the future. The Bluebirds announced on Saturday they have appointed former Fenerbahce boss Bulut as their successor to Sabri Lamouchi, who kept them in the Championship last season but was not retained. Tan’s suggestion that putting Bulut in charge will lead to a “higher profile and standard of player in the coming years” is a remarkable one, given that the club are still operating under a transfer ban and that the Malaysian himself long ago appeared to turn off the financial taps are far as new signings were concerned.

David Brooks has been handed an emotional return to the Wales camp for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey. But while Wales head coach Rob Page was delighted to welcome back the Bournemouth playmaker, he was forced to exclude Luton Town skipper Tom Lockyer after his collapse in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

Will Vaulks will be back in the Championship next season – and gunning for revenge against Cardiff City. The former Wales midfielder was part of the Sheffield Wednesday side that clinched promotion at Wembley with a dramatic late 1-0 League One play-off final win over 10-man South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley.

David Brooks has returned to the Wales squad, 19 months after being given a cancer diagnosis and only 10 days after making his first Premier League start since his return to action. The Bournemouth fielder has been included in manager Rob Page’s squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

Wales will play South Korea at home in a September friendly. It will be the first time the two nations have met at senior men’s level and will take place at Cardiff City Stadium on September 7, four days before Wales’ Euro 2024 qualifier in Latvia.

Luton Town’s promotion bid hit a speed bump when Southampton prised away their beloved Welsh manager Nathan Jones earlier this season, but they have now returned the favour by taking the south-coast club’s place in the Premier League. Jones had led Luton to automatic promotion from League Two and even a Championship playoff semi-final in two spells but left in November when they were ninth, leaving Luton in a predicament.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer has thanked medical staff for their “swift and thorough response” after collapsing during his side’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final victory against Coventry. The Wales defender fell to the floor while running back during the match and received treatment before being carried off the pitch on a stretcher. The game went to penalties after Jordan Clark’s opener was cancelled out by Gustavo Hamer to finish 1-1 after extra time, and the Hatters secured Premier League football for next season with a 6-5 victory on penalties.

Wales boss Rob Page wants clarity from Nottingham Forest over Neco Williams’ injury ahead of next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers. Full-back Williams was ruled out for the rest of the Premier League season after breaking his jaw against Brighton on April 26.

Rob Edwards called for Luton Town not to get carried away as they chase promotion in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry City at Wembley. Luton eye promotion to the Premier League for the first time and a win over Coventry would round off their fourth promotion in 10 seasons.

Steve Cooper will allow himself just a short time to catch his breath before plotting further progress in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest. The only Welsh manager in the top flight guaranteed he will be there again next season after Forest beat Arsenal 1-0 to end the Gunners’ title hopes. Cooper has gone from academy coaching at Wrexham and Liverpool, to England age groups, to Swansea City, to taking Forest out of the Championship, to keeping them there with a game to spare.

Russell Martin is expected to be offered the role of Southamton’s new manager next week. That will be a huge blow to Swansea City who hoped Martin would fulfil his final contracted year as head coach and build on the team’s excellent finish to their Championship season.

Mark Hughes insists his Bradford City side are full of confidence and under no pressure as they prepare for their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi final second leg against Carlisle on Saturday. The Bantams hold a 1-0 lead heading into the all-important deciding leg at Brunton Park thanks to Jamie Walker’s strike.

Former Swansea City striker Viktor Gyokeres is heading to Wembey and a dream Premier League ticket showdown for Coventry City against Luton Town. Gyokeres – who made just a dozen appearances for the Swans in the 2020-21 season – helped Coventry beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in their Championship play-off semi-final second leg at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.