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Cardiff enter race for Arsenal target Jesus Gamez as Joseph Yobo hints at move
CARDIFF have entered the race to sign Malaga right back Jesus Gamez but will have to raise their initial bid if they hope to bring the Spaniard to Wales.
Reports in Spain suggest that Cardiff lodged an £3.5m offer for Gamez which was rebuffed by Malaga.
According to AS Cardiff are considering improving their offer to something closer to £4m but Malaga want £5m.
Late last month Arsenal were credited with an interest in taking Gamez to the Emirates and were thought to have offered £1.5m plus Nicklas Bendtner for the 28-year-old.
But Bendtner's refusal to compromise on wages scuppered any chance of a swap deal occurring and Arsenal's interest appeared to cool.
Instead, Cardiff are likely to face competition from Atletico Madrid, who had an offer of £2.5m paid in instalments over five years rejected out of hand, and Wolfsburg for the signature of Gamez.
Mauricio Pochettino was also believed to be a fan of the player during his time at Espanyol, but it is not known whether the Argentinian will try to sign Gamez for Southampton.
For Malaga's part, new coach Bernd Schuster is thought to be a fan of Gamez, who has spent his whole career at the club, but the arrival of Marcos Angeleri from Estudiantes could make Gamez dispensable.
Meanwhile, Joseph Yobo has also refused to rule out a move back to the Premier League with the Bluebirds after confirming that his future at Fenerbahce remains uncertain.
Yobo has been linked with a move to Cardiff but his preference is to remain in Turkey.
However, with Fenerbahce's place in next season's Champions League in doubt, Yobo is realistic about the prospect of potentially having to look elsewhere.
He said: I've heard a lot of speculation about my future and it's been ongoing. Really, there is no difference. I don't know what is going on.
"The speculation will go on because Fenerbahce have not yet confirmed if it is guaranteed that we will definitely remain in the Champions League. If that doesn't happen then obviously some foreign players will have to leave."