Stoke City wins race for Cardiff City starlet with famous brother

Cardiff City youngster Japhet Matondo will join Stoke City after turning down a professional contract with the Bluebirds.

The 18-year-old Welsh youth international is one of the most promising products of the Bluebirds Academy in recent years, but his immediate future lies with the Potteries, where we have learned he is undergoing a medical today.

Japhet is, of course, the younger brother of Welsh and Rangers star Rabbi Matondo, who himself left the Bluebirds academy aged just 15. Rabbi, who earned 12 international caps, went on to play for Schalke, Cercle Brugge, Rangers and even Stoke City themselves, during a loan spell in 2021.

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Matondo Jnr was offered a professional contract by the Bluebirds but turned down the opportunity to stay with the club. Cardiff have poached players such as Charlie Crew (Leeds United), Gabriele Biancheri (Manchester United) and Lewys Benjamin (Wolves after strong interest from Man City) from Tier 1 academies in recent years but it is understandable that the situation is different with Matondo, who simply felt it was time to move on from South Wales.

Cardiff received tidy six-figure transfer fees for the above trio and are apparently happy with the fee they are receiving from Stoke for Matondo. The Potters, along with another club, have made several offers over the past two weeks and have finally agreed on a fee.

It’s a big step for Matondo, who has been with the Bluebirds for over a decade, but it’s understandable that he felt his path lay elsewhere and wanted to test himself away from the comfort of the Cardiff club – and Stoke ultimately won the race after several clubs showed interest in him.

The tricky winger, who can operate on either flank, has represented Wales at all age groups up to U19 level.

The teenager, who turns 19 in September, had a difficult season last year, dealing with a number of injury setbacks in a season that never really got going for him, but he clearly has talent and huge potential.