Former Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion midfielder Romaine Sawyers has been made available on a free transfer after Cardiff City released him, the club have announced.
Sawyers’ future had been cast into uncertainty as soon as Erol Bulut was appointed as the head coach of the Bluebirds last summer. The Turkish boss publicly admitted that he told the West Brom academy product to find a new club as he wasn’t going to receive much game-time [quotes via Wales Online]:
West Bromwich Albion & Stoke City Target Set To Make Key Decision On Future
“I had a conversation with him and I was clear with him and I will not hide it here, he was in the national team, came back and had one game. We now have many players in midfield so I told him for his good he should go try to find a club.”
The 32-year-old remained at the Cardiff City Stadium for the entire season but made merely six appearances throughout the campaign, including two in the Championship. However, on Friday morning, the club announced that Sawyers was one of 12 players who have been released, alongside ex-Liverpool man Sheyi Ojo.
Sawyers spent the entire 2021/22 season on loan at Stoke City when current Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill was in charge. The experienced midfielder made 29 appearances for the Potters on loan from West Brom, bagging three goals and recording four assists, although he didn’t sign permanently for the club at the end of the season, choosing instead to join Cardiff City.
Writer’s View
It will be interesting to see what happens next for Sawyers. There are plenty of teams in the lower half of the Championship who would be willing to take a player of his quality and experience over the summer. Perhaps Derby County, who are currently on the lookout for a midfielder, might be interested in offering Sawyers a one-year deal.
Sawyers has plenty of experience playing in England’s second tier, having played for Cardiff, Stoke City, West Brom and Brentford so teams may see this experience as a valuable addition to a squad. Maybe even Oxford United could come calling.
