Sala undergoes Cardiff medical as Bluebirds close in on club-record signing

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock, speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at Newcastle, said: "It (Sala fee) is around £15million, which is a lot.

"But when you look in the Championship that's what strikers cost.

"I like him, he's a hard worker. He's not going to knock the walls down straightaway, but we need strikers.

"That's going to be the difference at the end of the season, whether we can score enough goals."

The fee for the former Bordeaux and Caen forward, who has scored 12 times in Ligue 1 this season, would set a new club record.

Cardiff's current record transfer is the £11m paid for Chile midfielder Gary Medel in 2013.

On a busy day of transfer activity at Cardiff, Warnock was delighted to make Senegal striker Niasse his first January signing.

Niasse's arrival was completed in time for him to feature in the relegation battle at Newcastle, the 28-year-old finally moving after the deal had hit a hitch on Thursday.

"I'm relieved because I thought it had been done yesterday (Thursday)," Warnock said.

"It has been a little bit unrestful this morning, something I could have done without.

"But it's nice to know that he's available for selection (at Newcastle).

"Now it's all sorted out I can just concentrate on the game."

Niasse joined Everton in a £14million deal from Lokomotiv Moscow in the January 2016 transfer window.

Although he has struggled at Everton – where he has scored nine goals in 39 appearances – and went out on loan to Hull two years ago, Niasse comes to Cardiff with a recommendation from Warnock's former Sheffield United player Phil Jagielka.

"(Everton defender) Jagielka said he'd be my type of player and do well for us," Warnock said.

"When I look at the squad there's not many players available on loan who are like Niasse.

"I wanted (Nathaniel) Clyne but that meant I wouldn't have been able to get Niasse because of the loan rules.

"So it could be fate and now he's got this opportunity to put himself in the shop window."

The veteran Cardiff manager has made no secret that he also wants to sign a right-back and a midfielder this month.

Cardiff missed out on Liverpool defender Clyne and Nice midfielder Adrien Tameze, and Warnock admits the cost of the Sala deal could force him into the loan market.

"We always knew that if we did something like Sala, we'd have to do some loans," Warnock said.

"It's such a difficult market. If they let me have the two strikers, I'd forego a midfield player.

"But we still need a defensive player as well."

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