Dylan Lawlor

Lawlor captained Cardiff's academy sides before breaking into senior football, and his composure on the ball stood out immediately, comfortable carrying possession out from the back rather than simply hoofing it clear under pressure. His rise accelerated quickly once a new coaching setup trusted him with a regular starting role. That form soon carried over into a senior Wales debut, where he was named man of the match in his first appearance for his country.

That kind of rapid emergence inevitably attracts interest from bigger clubs, with reports already linking him to sides well beyond Cardiff's usual level. The obvious question is whether Cardiff can keep developing him at their own pace rather than losing him just as he matures into a genuinely reliable centre back. How the club manages that interest will matter as much as how he plays.