Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock said some players did not want to join the Welsh club in the January transfer window after new signing Emiliano Sala’s flight disappeared over the English Channel last week.
Cardiff’s 28-year-old record signing Sala was en route from Nantes with pilot David Ibbotson when his plane disappeared on January 21. He is yet to be found.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Bournemouth, Warnock described the January transfer window as “difficult” in the tragic circumstances.
“One or two of the strikers we were talking about did not really want to come in the circumstances,” Warnock told a news conference on Friday.
“They didn’t want to come in after what’s happened. So, it’s been a very difficult window.”
Cardiff managed to sign Leandro Bacuna from Reading on Thursday’s transfer deadline day, and Warnock said he was pleased with what the Curacao international could offer.
“We were fortunate we managed to get Bacuna over the line. He’s a player I like and I’ve watched over the last three years,” Warnock added.
“He can play wherever the need is. I’ve seen him at right back, left back playing in central midfield and also on the right wing. He’s versatile.”
Cardiff are 18th in the table with 19 points from 24 games.
#DeadlineDay| Welcome to #CardiffCity, Leandro Bacuna!
👉 https://t.co/n927SjvDHk #CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/vaMkLNBhU8
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) January 31, 2019