Cardiff City handed clear Alex Robertson exit warning - These 3 replacements should be on the radar | OneFootball

Cardiff City have been warned about losing Alex Robertson this summer, and Football League World has looked at three potential replacements

Cardiff City will be fearing the futures of a number of prized assets after suffering a devastating relegation to League One for the first time in more than 20 years.

The third-tier awaits for the Bluebirds, and it's yet to be determined just how willing the likes of Callum O'Dowda, Yousef Salech, Callum Robinson and Cian Ashford, to name a few, feel about the prospect of plying their trades beneath the Championship.

Another player who certainly falls into that category of uncertainty is Alex Robertson, who joined just last summer in a deal reportedly worth an initial £1 million - but with the potential of rising all the way to £3 million - from Manchester City, signing a four-year contract in the process.

The talented Aussie midfielder has represented one of precious few positives in the Welsh capital from last summer's ill-fated recruitment drive, registering three goals and three assists apiece and earning plaudits for his classy displays in the middle of the park.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World earlier this week, Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert David Prutton tipped Robertson to be "highly coveted" this summer after showing his worth in both the Championship and on loan in League One during Portsmouth's 2023/24 title-winning campaign.

Meanwhile, FLW's resident Bluebirds fan pundit, Matt Hall, has predicted the 22-year-old to leave - a sentiment shared by many in South Wales, it must be said.

With that in mind, FLW has decided to take a look at three potential Robertson replacements who should be under consideration ahead of this summer's transfer window.

Charlie Savage

Cardiff will, or at least should, be intent on replacing Robertson with someone of a similar age profile and potential future resale value in the event of an exit, and Welsh international Charlie Savage would most certainly fit the bill.

A known presence in the Welsh capital, Savage has earned two caps and counting for Wales at senior international level. It's with Reading, however, where he has really made an impression after joining the League One side from Manchester United in the summer of 2023.

Savage enjoyed a steady debut campaign at the Select Car Leasing Stadium last time out but has taken his game up a notch this term, recording seven goals and 13 assists across all competitions.

Classy and creative, the 21-year-old is capable of doing it all in the midfield engine room and has played an instrumental role in the Royals' shock play-off charge amid the backdrop of continued turmoil under Dai Yongge.

There has been talk of a sale for some time, and Reading have been given an extended deadline of May 5 for Yongge to relinquish his control of the Berkshire-based outfit in order to avoid EFL sanctions.

As things stand, Reading's situation makes them susceptible to losing prized, sellable assets such as Savage, but the state of play could be subject to change.

Much would also depend on the outcome of Reading's season as they bid for a top-six finish, with any deal surely out of the question if Noel Hunt's side return to the Championship.

Landing Savage, though, would represent the sort of statement of intent that Cardiff must be looking to make this summer to restore confidence among supporters, who are already fearful about how things could unfold in League One next season.

He has proven himself to be a top player for the level and would be a like-to-like replacement for Robertson, meaning it's a deal Cardiff should be considering at the very least.

Albie Morgan

Another third-tier midfield star who could offer to fill Robertson's potential void from a stylistic standpoint is Blackpool's Albie Morgan.

Admittedly, the 25-year-old would perhaps not bring quite the same level of potential and resale value. However, he is approaching his prime years and has enjoyed the best season of his career at Bloomfield Road this term.

The ex-Charlton Athletic man has contributed four goals and nine assists for a Blackpool side set to spend a third straight season in League One, and could fancy his chances at competing for a side with real designs of being right at the very top-end of the division.

A high-volume shooter from midfield, Morgan can score from range - a hallmark of Robertson's game, of course - and he also thrives at threading the needle with crisp and inventive forward passing.

If Cardiff want to recruit a player with proven class and experience in League One, coupled with the ability to get even better, Morgan could well be their man.

George Abbott

Finally, the loan market may also be an avenue under consideration and Cardiff could potentially look into a deal for Tottenham Hotspur's George Abbott through such means.

The 19-year-old has spent the duration of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with League Two promotion hopefuls Notts County, where he has made a lasting impression. Abbott has blown Meadow Lane away all year long, and is poised for a glittering future in the game.

The England under-19 international has posted five goals and six assists from 39 league appearances, with the consistency, class and maturity of his displays belying his youthful age in his first season of senior football.

An all-rounded, deep-lying midfielder with an eye for goal, Abbott's combative ability to win the ball back and muscle it out with seasoned pros has been equally impressive as his quality in the final third. He really exerts his influence on games, which Robertson - albeit two divisions higher, of course, has struggled to do on occasions in the second-half of this season.

Also schooled within the confines of an elite-level domestic club, Abbott's composure, passing range, creative quality and spatial awareness have all come to the fore in a side intent on dominating possession in League Two.

His goal threat cannot be overlooked either, and he notably won the EFL's Goal of the Season award for his stunning, postage-stamp volleyed effort in the Magpies' 3-0 win at Accrington Stanley back in February.

It's unclear exactly what Spurs intend to do with Abbott next season.

Another loan move is surely on the cards, and he is evidently a class or two above League Two, meaning League One and the Championship are the two most likely destinations at this moment in time.

There is a solid argument, which would no doubt be conveyed by the Notts faithful, that Abbott already has the ability to play, and excel, at Championship level.

However, a move upwards to the third-tier could be the most natural next course of action in his development, and Cardiff should be monitoring the situation with intent at close quarters in the coming weeks and months.