Stoke City win race to sign Cardiff City starlet with famous brother
The Bluebirds youngster will head to the Potteries following interest from a number of clubs
Cardiff City youngster Japhet Matondo will join Stoke City after rejecting a professional deal with the Bluebirds.
The Wales youth international, 18, is one of the more promising Bluebirds academy products of the last few years, however his immediate future lies in the Potteries, with a medical taking place today, we understand.
Japhet, of course, is the younger brother of Wales and Rangers star Rabbi Matondo, who himself left the Bluebirds academy at the age of just 15. Twelve-cap Rabbi has gone on to represent Schalke, Cercle Brugge, Rangers even Stoke City themselves, during a loan stint in 2021.
Matondo Jnr was offered a pro deal by the Bluebirds but turned down the opportunity to stay with the club. Cardiff have had the likes of Charlie Crew (Leeds United), Gabriele Biancheri (Manchester United) and Lewys Benjamin (Wolves after strong Man City interest) picked off by category one academies in recent years, however it is understood the situation is different with Matondo, who simply felt it was time to move away from south Wales.
Cardiff received decent six-figure fees for the aforementioned trio and are understood to be pleased with the compensation they are receiving from Stoke for Matondo. The Potters, along with another club, lodged a couple of bids over the last fortnight and were finally able to agree a fee.
