Exclusive: Cardiff City agree to meet Perry Ng's release clause in new twist
Cardiff City have agreed to trigger the release clause of Crewe Alexandra defender Perry Ng, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.
The 24-year-old has emerged as the Welsh club's top right-back target in the January window.
The Bluebirds' have already had a bid for Ng knocked back by the League One outfit this month, as this site revealed on 12 January.
However, a recruitment source has told Football Insider that Cardiff have now secured a crucial breakthrough by agreeing to meet the Crewe skipper's £250,000 release clause.
With just six months remaining on Ng's contract, it was thought that David Artell and the rest of the Crewe hierarchy were prepared to risk losing the Liverpool-born defender on a free in the summer.
But having held firm and not accepted a fee any lower than the stipulated buyout terms, it looks like Crewe will now receive reimbursement for the full back's services.
Ng has played 20 times for Crewe this season, with the Cheshire-based side vying for a play-off spot in the third-tier.
In total, he has made 183 appearances for Crewe and scored seven goals in the process.
Cardiff boss Neil Harris is confident that the right-back, who has spent the entirety of his career thus far bouncing between League One and League Two with Crewe, can make the step up to the Championship.
The Bluebirds’ have already strengthened their squad in this window with the signing of Max Watters from Crawley Town.
Only five teams in the Championship have conceded more goals than Cardiff and Harris will be hoping that Ng will bring some much-needed steel to his defence.