Cardiff City will already have one eye on the Championship, as Brian Barry-Murphy’s side draw ever closer to clinching promotion from the League. One at the first time of asking following last season’s relegation, despite suffering a humiliating 5-2 defeat at Plymouth Argyle over the weekend.

Supporters will be hoping that the unexpected defeat at Home Park was just a blip for the Bluebirds, who have been in dominant League One form for much of the season and have built up a big lead at the top of the league in recent months to bolster their promotion prospects.

Though Lincoln City continues to put pressure on Cardiff, with only one point separating the two sides ahead of a huge potential title-decider clash in the Welsh capital at the start of next month, they also have an eleven-point lead over third-placed Bolton Wanderers, plus a game in hand.

The title may be in the balance, but a successful first promotion attempt appears to be more plausible.

As Cardiff continue to step up their efforts to return to the Championship, fans are wondering what’s next and what the club’s transfer business will look like in the summer window. Cardiff did, of course, make just three signings in the previous summer in the form of Omari Kellyman, Gabriel Osho, and Nathan Trott, with Barry-Murphy opting to clear house, shift deadwood, retain prized assets, and elevate the levels of those already at his disposal rather than making a flurry of acquisitions.

Kellyman, on loan from Chelsea, has been one of Cardiff’s standout players for much of the season, with the on-loan forward shining in recent months to help his club win the title. Kellyman’s future has been a heated topic among Bluebirds fans, but it now appears clearer in what might be a blow for the Welsh club.

Omari Kellyman discloses Chelsea’s focus in possible Cardiff City transfer bombshell.

The 20-year-old has been in excellent form in recent weeks, scoring five goals and providing an assist in his past six appearances after being switched to a false-nine role during Yousef Salech’s injury-forced absence.

Kellyman’s versatility and fluidity have often added a new dimension to Cardiff’s attack, and he snatched a brace – including a stunning curling effort for his second of the afternoon – in the Bluebirds’ aforementioned defeat at Plymouth on Saturday afternoon.

The playmaker’s improved form has fueled calls for a permanent move to Cardiff if promotion is secured, but while Kellyman hasn’t completely ruled out a return next season, his long-term priority has been made clear, and any hopes of acquiring his services on a full-time basis now appear futile.

Kellyman made waves when he signed for Chelsea from Aston Villa for a whopping £19 million in the summer of 2024, despite only making six professional appearances for Unai Emery’s side.

He has yet to play at senior level for Chelsea, with a series of crushing injury setbacks defining a bitterly disappointing debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, but despite the Blues’ influx of prodigies and unrelenting recruitment drive, the Derby County academy product remains determined to make his mark in West London, and it will be interesting to see what comes next.

When asked about such calls from supporters, Kellyman told Simon Johnson of The Athletic: “I’ve seen them. Even as I leave the stadium, I can hear them saying this.

“It’s great. After a season in the shadows, it’s nice to be needed again.But I signed for Chelsea, and I want to play for Chelsea; that is my ultimate ambition.”

Cardiff City must strive for a fresh Chelsea and Omari Kellyman loan deal.

Although Kellyman’s stance on leaving Chelsea permanently is clear at this point, there’s little to suggest that he’ll be able to force his way into Liam Rosenior’s immediate thoughts just yet, and a second consecutive loan exit appears to be the most likely course of action once the summer arrives.

Interest in his signing is expected to be significant, with Kellyman having now begun to justify his long-held promise and translate it to the senior game, and Cardiff will undoubtedly be one of several suitors.

They can expect fierce competition in the Championship, but Kellyman’s development while playing regular football and enjoying his time in South Wales works in Cardiff’s benefit and gives them much-needed advantage over competitors.

If Cardiff’s promotion bid does not fail, they may well like their chances of getting the promising kid back for a second season, which must be one of Barry-Murphy’s top transfer goals this summer.