Fresh twist emerges in Cardiff City, Nathan Jones saga as Charlton Athletic exit threat remains.

Cardiff City are not ready to give up on their long-running chase of Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones just yet, in yet another unexpected twist in the narrative.

This latest development was revealed by Darren Witcoop on X, who said that Cardiff have not abandoned their pursuit of the 52-year-old after showing a great interest over the last week. Jones has been heavily linked with the vacant managerial position in Cardiff, as the club prepares to appoint their seventh permanent manager in just over four years following their relegation to League One at the end of the 2024/25 Championship season, having parted ways with Omer Riza in April.

The Bluebirds‘ managerial hunt has now entered its sixth week, with a number of candidates vying to be Vincent Tan’s latest hire. Last month, Football League World exclusively revealed that Ian Evatt and Des Buckingham were both interviewing for the position, while less-experienced candidates such as Leicester City coach Brian Barry-Murphy and Aaron Ramsey, who led the side on a three-match caretaker basis following Riza’s dismissal but is eager to continue his playing career and represent Wales at next year’s FIFA World Cup 2026, are also reportedly being considered.

Jones’ name has recently made news as it was revealed over the weekend that he was a “strong and late contender” to succeed Riza at Cardiff City Stadium. Jones, a boyhood Bluebirds fan who has previously stated that he would difficult to turn down the opportunity to return home and manage Cardiff, is under contract at Charlton for three more years after leading them back to the Championship via the League One play-offs. An update from journalist Rich Cawley earlier this week all but ruled out Jones’ prospective return to South Wales, but in a new twist, Cardiff look to be unwilling to give up on their chase of the Welshman.

Cardiff City remain interested in Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones.

According to Witcoop on Thursday morning, Cardiff has not given up yet and has made several fruitless bids for Jones, who is touted as the club’s top priority. Cardiff’s offers have been rejected, as expected, by the Addicks, who are eager to return to the Championship under the former Luton Town manager’s leadership.

Because of the duration of Jones’ contract and the absence of a defined release clause, Charlton can go “as high as they want” when dealing with offers. Witcoop has also stated that Charlton are “insistent” that Jones will not leave. Of course, the South London club benefits from effectively exchanging divisions with the Bluebirds, who will play third-tier football for the first time in more than 20 years in August, while Charlton prepares to return to the Championship following a five-year absence.

Jones’ stance, on the other hand, is worth keeping an eye on in the coming days and weeks. His allegiances to Cardiff are well known, and Witcoop has stated that the outcome could be determined by whether Jones forces a move, claiming that the 52-year-old is “allowing” the issue to play out between the two teams.

Cardiff City need to recruit a manager quickly following a fresh Nathan Jones update.

Jones is clearly the primary target among the Bluebirds’ key decision-makers, and, rightly or wrongly, controversial owner Tan appears determined to fight tooth and nail to land his man at the expense of a quicker appointment by pursuing other available candidates who are currently unemployed, such as Buckingham and Evatt.

Of course, whether that’s the right stance to take is debatable, but while many supporters would welcome Jones’ appointment, the fanbase is growing increasingly dissatisfied with how the saga is unfolding and the general length of time it’s taking Cardiff to appoint a new manager. Fans are keen for the right manager to come in and assist Cardiff prepare for what is expected to be a big rebuilding process, as well as to set the wheels in motion for a promotion drive next season. By neglecting to select a manager just yet, the Bluebirds are giving their divisional opponents a significant advantage in preparation, and they cannot afford to lose any more ground.

You do get the impression that Cardiff’s protracted pursuit of Jones threatens to prove counterproductive.

Face will be saved if a deal is reached, but it appears that Cardiff is now in a ‘all-or-nothing’ situation and will be in a hazardous position if Jones is not brought to the dugout in a timely manner.

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