Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy has slammed the way Wolves tried to sign Kieffer Moore in the final few hours of the transfer window, speaking to Wales Online.
If Wolverhampton Wanderers had made their move a littler sooner, perhaps Moore would be wearing Old Gold this weekend.
In August, McCarthy admitted he wouldn’t begrudge the towering target man if, at the age of 29, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to play Premier League football for the first time in his career following spells at the likes of Yeovil Town, Forest Green Rovers and Rotherham United.
But, much to Big Mick’s confusion, Wolves left it until 5pm on deadline day to open talks with Cardiff.
By that point, the Bluebirds were never going to cash in on a striker who, having scored a career-best 20 goals last season, could be the difference between a play-off place and mid-table mediocrity.
Wolves leave it too late to target Kieffer Moore
“Of course I was!” said the typically straight-talking McCarthy when asked whether he, like Cardiff fans, was delighted to see Moore stay in South Wales.
“I’m delighted. I’m sure Kieffer would have been interested in playing in the Premier League – of course he was. (But) no offer came in that was anywhere near the club’s valuation.”
McCarthy, a former Wolves boss, then turned his attention to the men from Molineux, questioning why the Black Country giants left it so late to accelerate their interest.
“Waiting until the final few hours of deadline day and (Wolves) think it’s the way to do business?” McCarthy asks, clearly bemused. “I don’t think it’s the way to do business.
“It makes everyone panic. It just seems crazy to me.
“If you really want someone, you go out and get them. If you really desire that player and he’s going to make a difference, you go and get them early.”
Wolves did manage to get the jet-heeled Hwang Hee-chan through the door but, after a disastrous season at RB Leipzig, it may take some time for the South Korean striker to get up to speed.
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