Cardiff City are currently leading the way in the pursuit of Livingston forward Lyndon Dykes, who is also attracting the interest of fellow Championship sides Derby County, Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers, according to the Daily Record.

Neil Harris’ side will be facing a crucial next transfer window, as the former Millwall manager looks to bring in the right type of players for him to take Cardiff forwards, but any business they do could well be dependent on whether they manage to make a late push for the play-offs and earn promotion.

Dykes has enjoyed a very productive season with Livingston in the Scottish Premier League, having registered 12 goals before the campaign was ended prematurely, and the 24-year-old is thought to be being valued at around £1million by the Scottish club.

Quiz: How old are each of these 14 current Cardiff City players?

Cardiff are thought to believe that Dykes could be well suited to the Championship, but they are likely to face competition from their three Championship rivals as well as Rangers, although it is thought at this stage that the Bluebirds are showing the most interest in the 24-year-old.

The verdict

This would seem to be a smart addition for Cardiff if they were to miss out on the play-offs and promotion to the Premier League, with Dykes having demonstrated his potential to make a difference in the final third this season with Livingston.

Given the current financial climate around clubs up and down the EFL it is going to be more important than ever that clubs are shrewd in the transfer market, and Dykes is a player with potential to be further developed who could be available relatively cheaply so could be an ideal fit.

However, were Cardiff to go on and secure a place in the Premier League after finishing in the play-off places, it could be a risk in bringing Dykes in to the club and relying on him to adapt straight away to the English top-flight, so the Bluebirds should wait and see what league they are playing in.