Cardiff City's summer transfer plans, Aron Gunnarsson's replacement and the loan extension questions

The impending departure of Aron Gunnarsson hasn't come out of the blue for Cardiff City.

When the Ice Man signed a contract extension of just one year in July, the wheels were already set in motion for a 2019 exit once 'Gunnar' had played his part in the Premier League for a second time in a Cardiff shirt.

Back in spring 2018, a host of German and Turkish clubs had been linked with a summer swoop for Iceland's captain. Instead of committing his future to anyone, Gunnarsson preferred to focus on injury rehabilitation with a view to making a milestone appearance at last year's World Cup for his beloved country.

This time, a lucrative move to Qatar has been signed and sealed and not even staving off relegation with Cardiff will keep Gunnarsson in south Wales.

Neil Warnock and the Cardiff hierarchy, however, have planned for this eventuality.

This is how they are viewing the upcoming summer, how to replace Gunnarsson and the big decisions that will hinge on whether the Bluebirds can clinch Premier League survival...

Why the time is right for Gunnarsson

Upon signing his one-year extension last summer, Gunnarsson said: "I always wanted to stay and I told the gaffer that. Even though I didn't say much in the news, I just wanted to do my job on the pitch."

It's true that Gunnarsson was eager to prove himself in the top flight again.

He was one of few survivors from Cardiff's ignominious red-addled relegation in 2013/14 — although Gunnarsson had been one of the team's more consistent performers that season, scoring the Bluebirds' first-ever Premier League goal in a dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester City.

When it came to his future beyond summer 2019, the club were realistic and mindful of Gunnarsson's long-term goals for a "new challenge abroad".

Warnock said back in November 2017 amid questions over the midfielder's uncertain future that “I'm not naive to think there won't be people talking to him”.

The offers from other leagues came flooding in again and this time Cardiff haven't stood in his way.

The potential replacements

You could accurately call Cardiff's keen pursuit of OGC Nice midfielder Adrien Tameze in January a smart piece of succession planning.

The only problem was they didn't manage to land him; Tameze's close relationship with Nice boss Patrick Vieria and the difficulty Cardiff had signing players after the Emiliano Sala tragedy made it impossible after an initial bid failed.

The Bluebirds, however, are understood to be keen on resurrecting a deal in the region of £10million for Tameze.

Nice's owners want to eventually cash in on the defensive midfielder, who looks an ideal fit for Premier League football with his physicality and intelligent holding play.

Watford have also been linked though Cardiff would be in the box seat — provided they retained Premier League club — having already negotiated with the French club.

Aside from Tameze, Cardiff's capture of Leandro Bacuna could prove crucial. The former Reading and Aston Villa man would become a first team mainstay if the Bluebirds drop to the Championship.

The big decisions on loan players

Cardiff also have some big decisions to make on their midfield loan stars.

Victor Camarasa's stellar season will almost certainly have pricked the interest of more glamorous clubs, though Warnock is understood to be eager to sign the Spaniard on a longer deal if the Bluebirds stay up.

The 24-year-old has netted four goals and laid on three assists this season, adding much-needed creativity to the Cardiff midfield. Whether he returns to Real Betis to play regular football, earns a permanent move elsewhere or stays with the Bluebirds remains to be seen.

But Cardiff will put all their efforts into keeping Camarasa and fellow loanee Harry Arter if they can.

Relegation would make doing so virtually impossible, but Arter has gone on record stating that he'd love to extend his spell in the Welsh capital.

"Playing Premier League football is all I want to do," he said a few months ago.

"I've said to my family already that the dream season would be Cardiff to stay up and the manager to want to carry on next year and then hopefully I can sign."

Arter is of interest to Watford, Camarasa to god knows how many clubs — but Cardiff could hardly do better than snap both up on longer deals if they're looking to plan for life beyond Gunnarsson.

The Viking warrior will soon bow out but the Bluebirds can fight on without him.