Gary Madine and Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds are an ideal fit.

Gateshead-born Madine, 27, made it clear to his club, Bolton Wanderers, that he wanted a transfer to Cardiff City. He put his request in writing a full seven days before the transfer was completed.

Bolton offered to double Madine’s wages in a new contract, while club chairman Ken Anderson made it clear the attacking midfield player would not be leaving.

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman, working closely with owner Vincent Tan, made four separate offers for Madine and the fee rose from an initial offer of £2.5m to £5m-plus.

The deal was completed and Madine makes his City debut in their Championship match against Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday (3pm).

Bolton manager Phil Parkinson said: “The chairman all along was adamant we weren’t going to sell him.

“However, the offer went up and up, and it got to the point where Ken had to make a judgement call and it’s easy to say from outside that nobody wants to sell their top goalscorer, but we’re not the ones who have to pay the wages each month.”

The transfer was  completed only two hours before the 11pm deadline last Wednesday, although Cardiff had still not finished their business.

They moved for former Arsenal and Juventus left-back Armand Traore, who became Cardiff’s fifth signing in 2018.

Traore was released by Championship rivals Nottingham Forest and immediately signed by Cardiff as a free agent.

Both Madine, who has signed a three and a half year contract, and Traore, who will take over from suspended Joe Bennett against Leeds, look certain to make a Bluebirds debut at Leeds.

Bolton’s Anderson said: “It became obvious to me that Gary and his advisors had decided on a move away despite having made what l considered to be a very good, new contract offer to him. His salary and add-ons would have effectively doubled his current salary and extended the length of the contract by a further year to 2020.

“Indeed, discussions came to a stage whereby Gary submitted a written transfer request on January 24, which was after the initial offers from Cardiff had been received and swiftly declined, and despite all the efforts made by the manager and myself to keep Gary, it was not to be.

“I reluctantly agreed on Tuesday to meet with the Cardiff chairman (Dalman) personally to try and reach an agreement that would be financially beneficial and acceptable to the club.

“The determining factor in agreeing to the transfer, albeit reluctantly and finally accepted on Wednesday morning, was the fact a fee was to be paid immediately with further substantial add-ons dependent on achievements, together with a substantial share of any future transfer proceeds.”

Bolton would get a chunk of any sell-on fee if the Bluebirds cash in on Madine in the future.

Madine and Traore are now focused on Cardiff’s clash with Leeds United and they will be joined in the starting line-up by Mark Grujic, the 21-year-old Serbian midfield player who joined Cardiff on loan from Liverpool.

Winger Yanic Wildschutt and striker Jamie Ward were the other players signed by Warnock in January and the Bluebirds boss described January 31 as: “The best of his managerial career.”

Madine, Ward and Traore were the three players who came in late and Warnock said: “It’s good and the commitment of Vincent Tan all the way through has been fantastic.

“We made an offer of £2.5m originally (for Madine) and that ended up doubling so it shows the commitment of Vincent.

“He’s given me the ammunition I’ve wanted. He trusts me and it’s great for a manager to know that.

“I don’t think we could have done better business, I think it’s probably the best transfer deadline I’ve had in 37 years.

“I can’t remember another day when I’ve improved the squad as much as I’ve done and been so happy.”

Hosts Leeds failed to earn a win in January and that included an Emirates FA Cup defeat against Newport County.

Kemar Roofe is their top scorer with 11, while German Pierre-Michel Lasogga, signed on loan from Hamburg, has netted seven goals in 19 matches.

Leeds is one of Warnock’s former clubs, having been in charge during 2012-13 when the Yorkshire club finished 14th.

“It’s always exciting at Elland Road and the atmosphere is so good,” said Warnock. “It’s a footballing place and I like going back up to Yorkshire.”

Cardiff City, possible: Etheridge; Richards, Morrison, Manga, Traore; Mendez-Laing, Ralls, Grujic, Hoilett; Madine, Zohore.