Transfer rumour · archive

Melle Meulensteen to Cardiff City

Quiet since 16 August 2026. Last report: Anthony Joseph. Probability when it went quiet: 8%.

Cardiff City are in talks to sign Melle Meulensteen, the 27-year-old defensive midfielder at Go Ahead Eagles. The interest already carries visible weight in the Netherlands: Meulensteen was left out of Go Ahead's squad for the fixture against Feyenoord, a decision put down directly to the transfer approach. A fee in the region of €2m to €3m is being discussed, roughly in line with his market value of around €3m, and the player is under contract until June 2029, so the Dutch club hold the leverage here. The story comes from Anthony Joseph, a strong and reliable voice whose word on Championship business tends to hold up. For now, though, this is a single link rather than something corroborated across several reporters. Treat it as credible but early. This is against the odds as things stand. The talks are live and the player being pulled from a matchday squad tells you the interest is real, yet a deal is some way from done. Go Ahead have him tied down for another three years, which means Cardiff need to find a fee that satisfies a selling club under no pressure. Get the money right and it moves; leave it short and it stalls. Go Ahead know this market. They sold to Saint-Étienne for €2m in 2026 and to Marseille for €2m in 2024, so a fee near that mark for Meulensteen would sit comfortably in keeping with how they trade. Watch for a firm bid from Cardiff and Go Ahead's response to it. If a number is accepted and a medical is arranged, this jumps quickly.

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