Danny Ward’s agent has revealed the striker chose to sign for Cardiff City even though both Queens Park Rangers and Ipswich Town offered more money.
Yorkshireman Ward, 26, opted for a £1.6m move from Rotherham to the Bluebirds where he will work with his former manager Neil Warnock.
Ward’s agent is Andy Evans, a Cardiff City fan who works for the World In Motion company, one of the UK’s foremost sports management companies.
“It’s been a while since I’ve done a deal with the mighty Bluebirds,” tweeted Evans. “Striker Danny Ward joins from Rotherham United for a transfer fee of £1.6 million. QPR and Ipswich both bid £2 million, but the player preferred a move to Cardiff. Nothing to do with me. At all. Up the City.”
Ward, top scorer for relegated Rotherham with 12 goals last season, has been tracked by Warnock for some time and is a fifth signing for the City manager.
Goalkeepers Neil Etheridge and Lee Camp plus Callum Paterson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing have all signed for the Bluebirds on free transfers.
Junior Hoilett, Kadeem Harris and Lee Peltier have agreed new deals with Cardiff, while Warnock is close to agreement with Bruno Manga.
Ward started his playing career in the youth set-up at his home-town club Bradford City before he signed for Leeds United. He turned down a new deal with Leeds to join Premier League Bolton Wanderers.
He made his senior debut for Bolton as a substitute in the club’s 1-0 Premier home defeat against Sunderland in 2009.
Ward has also played for Swindon, while he moved to Huddersfield on a three-year contract in 2011 and helped them earn promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs. They defeated Sheffield United in the final at Wembley Stadium.
He signed for Rotherham two years ago and helped them stay in the Championship when they staged a revival after Warnock took charge.
Ward scored 12 goals for the Millers last season and was one of their few successes in a poor season.
Cardiff City’s full pre-season fixtures
July
Friday 14: Taff’s Well (away 7pm, Rhiw Ddar)
Monday 17: AFC Tavistock (away 7pm, Langsford Park)
Wednesday 19: Bodmin Town (away 7pm, Priory Park)
Thursday, 20: Under-23 v AFC St. Austell (away 7pm, Poltair Park)
Friday 21: Plymouth Argyle FC (away 7pm, Home Park)
Saturday 22: Under-23 Bideford AFC (away 2pm, The Sports Ground)
Tuesday, 25: Shrewsbury Town (away 7pm, The Greenhous Meadow)
Friday 28/Saturday 29: To be arranged (home, Cardiff City Stadium)
Cardiff City Championship fixtures 2017-18
August
Sat 5, Burton Albion, A
Sat 12, Aston Villa, H
Tues 15, Sheffield United, H
Sat 19, Wolverhampton Wanderers, A
Sat 26, Queens Park Rangers, H
September
Sat 9, Fulham, A
Tues 12, Preston North End, A
Sat 16, Sheffield Wednesday, H
Sat 23, Sunderland, A
Tues 26, Leeds United, H
Sat 30, Derby County, H
October
Sat 14, Birmingham City, A
Sat 21, Middlesbrough, A
Sat 28, Millwall, H
Tues 31, Ipswich Town, H
November
Sat 4, Bristol City, A
Sat 18, Brentford, H
Tues 21, Barnsley, A
Sat 25, Nottingham Forest, A
December
Sat 2, Norwich City, H
Sat 9, Reading, A
Sat 16, Hull City, H
Sat 23, Bolton Wanderers, A
Tue 26, Fulham, H
Sat 30, Preston North End, H
January
Mon 1, Queens Park Rangers, A
Sat 13, Sunderland, H
Sat 20, Sheffield Wednesday, A
Sat 27, Bolton Wanderers, H
February
Sat 3, Leeds United, A
Sat 10, Millwall, A
Sat 17, Middlesbrough, H
Tues 20, Ipswich Town, A
Sat 24, Bristol City, H
March
Sat 3, Brentford, A
Tues 6, Barnsley, H
Sat 10, Birmingham City, H
Sat 17, Derby County, A
Sat 31, Burton Albion, H
April
Mon 2, Sheffield United, A
Sat 7, Wolverhampton Wanderers, H
Tue 10, Aston Villa, A
Sat 14, Norwich City, A
Sat 21, Nottingham Forest, H
Sat 28, Hull City, A
May
Sun 6, Reading, H