Cardiff sign Leicester winger Alves on loan
Cardiff City have signed Leicester City winger Will Alves on loan until the end of the season.
Alves, 19, is highly rated at Leicester, where he has made five senior appearances, including a Premier League debut as a substitute against Manchester City in December.
The Foxes have sanctioned Alves’ move to Wales as they are keen for him to gain more first-team experience.
Alves, who worked with Cardiff manager Omer Riza as part of the England youth set-up, becomes the Bluebirds’ third signing of the mid-season transfer window.
“Will is very powerful, he’s quick and has a great attitude,” Riza told Cardiff’s website.
“He’s a hungry player, has an aggression to want to run at players and get beyond the opposition. We’ve needed that a little bit and I’m glad he can now add that to our team.”
Alves made his senior Leicester debut when aged just 16 in 2022, but his progress was hampered by a serious knee injury later that year.
He signed a new four-year contract with the Premier League strugglers last August.
Alves says he is excited by the challenge of playing for Cardiff, adding: “I’m a creative player and I like to cause the opposition problems. This is an important experience for me. I want to kick on now.”
Striker Yousef Salech was Cardiff’s first signing of the winter window, joining from Swedish side Sirius in a permanent deal worth at least £3m, while midfielder Sivert Mannsverk has arrived on loan from Ajax.
Cardiff City have confirmed the signing of Leicester City attacker Will Alves on loan until the end of the season.
WalesOnline last week reported that the Bluebirds were closing in on the 19-year-old’s signature and he completed a medical over the weekend. He can play anywhere across the forward line – in the No.10 role or on the wing.
Alves is understood to be a quick but technical player and is known to Bluebirds boss Omer Riza after working with him for three years in the England set-up. He can be deployed across the front three and is able to fulfil a number of roles including out wide and as a playmaker.
After signing, Alves said: “I’m buzzing and really excited. It’s a big club to come to and I’m excited for the challenge ahead. I’m a creative player and I like to cause the opposition problems. This is an important experience for me. I want to kick on now.”
The winger is an England youth international at multiple age grades and insiders at the club believe he will really strengthen the club’s options out wide and will be a strong character within the group.
