Nine Cardiff City stars with points to prove and Bulut has already made his feelings clear on one

The 2023/24 Championship campaign has only just finished, but for Cardiff City, planning for next season is already well under way.

Last year, Erol Bulut's first in charge, was packed with ups and downs, but there is hope that next term, with a full year under his belt, the manager can iron out the creases and have a really good crack at the top half of the table.

While there are a number of issues off the field, such as recruitment and the coaching staff, which need addressing, paramount to all is the make-up of the playing squad.

This summer will once again represent a pretty significant player turnaround, whichever way you square, with five players having gone back to their parent clubs following the end of their loan deals and, perhaps even more importantly, there are decisions to be made over a number of returning loanees.

READ MORE: Cardiff star pens heartfelt goodbye and defender lined up for Turkey move

READ MORE: Cardiff City have finally got their man – now their next objective really begins

Bulut and his coaching staff will be running the rule over nine players who are returning to the club from their loan stints, having been deemed surplus to requirements, for one reason or another, last season.

All will hope to be better off for the experience. And they will all have points to prove to Bulut and Co, who will have been poring over loan reports and watching footage of each player's performances.

So, let's take a closer look at each player who headed out on loan last year, how they did and what the likely outcome will be during the summer transfer window.

Isaak Davies

Perhaps the biggest success story when it comes to loan stints last year. Isaak Davies was a revelation in the Belgian top flight with KV Kortrijk, winning the club's top scorer award after netting 12 times.

Given Cardiff's well-documented struggles in front of goal last term, there was an argument to bring him back mid-season, however City held firm and believed a full season against some top opposition would serve them better in the long term.

Davies has been the subject of transfer speculation owing to his impressive stint in Belgium, with Monaco, Freiburg and Antwerp all named as potential suitors, while Cardiff will be wary of Burnley's situation with known admirer Craig Bellamy in the mix to succeed Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor.

Bulut has already made his feelings clear on Davies. When asked about him back in March, he said: "In the new season, everybody starts from zero. So, they have to show themselves to be in the team so that we can use them for the next season.

"Davies is doing really well in Kortrijk and I think in the new season he will be helpful for Cardiff City."

Davies is unlike any other striker Cardiff have in that he is pacey and runs in behind defenders. Bulut could be tempted to use him an auxiliary wing option, too.

Ryotaro Tsunoda

An unknown quantity, really. Even the most ardent followers of Cardiff will have only seen a handful of Ryotaro Tsunoda's games out in Kortrijk alongside Davies before he got injured.

Cardiff's centre-back issue could mean that Tsunoda, who is currently recovering from an operation after suffering an ACL injury while on loan.

Tsunoda jetted into Wales last month and posted a photo on social media from his new digs in the capital as he bids to rehab his injury and then show Bulut and Co what he can do. No doubt they will be happy with the videos they will have attained, with the Japanese centre-back quickly becoming a fan favourite and one of the stars of the team before his injury struck.

Fellow Cardiff loanee Davies waxed lyrical about Tsunoda, 25, in an interview with WalesOnline, saying: "He has been brilliant. He is versatile. I have been speaking to him quite a bit because he has that quality to play the reverse passes in behind. We have a good connection, make a bit of eye contact and he's looking for the pass forward. He is really good on the ball and isn't afraid of a challenge! He is a good player.

"He is still learning to speak English, so I'm trying to help him with that. He is looking forward to it and he is happy to have signed (for Cardiff). He is a brilliant player. He looks forward constantly and can put that pass in to break defences, which sometimes you don't get from a defender."

Depending on how his injury heals, and centre-back signings, Tsunoda might have a place in Bulut's squad next term. Sign up to our Cardiff City newsletter here.

Ebou Adams

Another Cardiff player who endeared himself to supporters of his loan club last season, Ebou Adams was adored by Derby County fans after helping them achieve promotion back to the Championship.

Rams boss Paul Warne has made no secret of his love for the Gambia international and would likely snap Cardiff's hand off if they offered him at a reasonable price.

It's just not worked out for the midfielder at Cardiff. A succession of injuries in his first season meant he didn't play a single minute, while four managers came and went before he even made his debut for the club. By the time he was fit, he found himself way down the pecking order.

Granted, he clearly has ability, but with Cardiff extremely bloated in that area of the pitch, will they be tempted to allow him to leave? We know it's an area in which Cardiff want to add this summer. Don't rule it out, anyway.

"I congratulated him for the victory," Bulut said last month when asked about Adams' situation. "They got promoted. He was a big part from the season and helped the team a lot to get promoted.

"New season, if we are all together here, we will see how it goes. He is still under contract of Cardiff City - he is a Cardiff City player. So let's see how he thinks, how his manager is thinking, how the clubs are thinking - Cardiff City and Derby - and we will see.

"I think there was interest in him, very much, and they took him. But if [they want to sign him permanently], they have to discuss with our club."

Eli King

A player who many at Cardiff have high hopes for. King has enjoyed three loan stints in the last two seasons at Crewe, Morecambe and Ross County and has almost 70 first-team appearances now under his belt.

It's clearly worked for him, heading out on loan, and many supporters want him to fill in that rotation role for the club next season, which will be factored in when Adams and Andy Rinomhota's fates are decided.

At 21, King is still on the up and has a high ceiling. Having played in League One, League Two and the Scottish Premiership, though, it's as yet unknown what sort of an impact he can have on the Championship.

This summer represents a big pre-season for the Wales youth international and he will hope to grab it with both hands.

Joel Bagan

Joel Bagan has been a player earmarked for first-team football for some time, but, like Adams in some ways, it's just not happened for him at Cardiff so far.

Injuries at the wrong time, falling down in the pecking order, a number of different reasons led him to a loan away in the Belgian second tier with SV Zulte Waragem last term.

Having started strongly, Bagan, 22, fell out of favour towards the end of the season and found himself on the bench or used as an option as a substitute late in matches.

He does, however, have 34 Championship appearances for Cardiff to his name, which will stand him in good stead when he rocks up to pre-season on June 24. With Jamilu Collins, Callum O'Dowda, Tsunoda and sprouting youngster Luey Giles also options in that position, a big call has to be made on the former Republic of Ireland youth international this summer.

Will Bagan get the game time required to warrant him staying around next term? He signed a new deal last year until 2026, meaning he has his admirers who are keen for him to remain with the club.

Andy Rinomhota

A free agent signing under Steve Morison, a lot was expected of Andy Rinomhota, with Cardiff fighting off a number of other Championship clubs to nab his signature.

Again, it's a congested area of the squad and one now wonders where he sits, having suffered relegation with Rotherham United during his half-season loan there last term.

Joe Ralls, Manolis Siopis, Ryan Wintle, Adams, King and even youngsters like Joel Colwill are all providing competition for that particular position and Rinomhota looks way down the pecking order at present.

With one year left on his deal, there are few who would be surprised if he looked for regular football elsewhere next year.

WHATSAPP: Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community

Malachi Fagan-Walcott

The club were clearly impressed by Malachi Fagan-Walcott's stint at Dunfermline Athletic last season, because they triggered a one-year extension on his contract.

The 22-year-old joined from Tottenham last season and some thought he would challenge for a first-team place, with options pretty limited in that particular department.

Instead, he played the majority of his football for the under-21s before heading to Scotland in January, where he excelled in the second tier up there. He played 17 times and scored three goals.

Whether he can now transition into that first-team environment at Cardiff is another question all together, but the club have clearly seen something in him to offer him a new deal.

Tom Davies

Tom Davies is one of the returning loanees who has been offered a new deal but not yet accepted.

He made his debut as a 17-year-old under Mick McCarthy, the young left-back, but never really kicked on. It was hoped a full season out on loan for the 20-year-old would really give Cardiff an idea of what they had on their hands.

Unfortunately, Davies played just eight times for Kilmarnock in all competitions, although he did earn himself a recall to Wales' under-21s squad. Whether he accepts a new deal or not will likely hinge on what the club's plans are for him next term.

Kieron Evans

Like Davies, Kieron Evans has also been offered fresh terms.

He was not announced as a leaver in the club's retained list, which surprised some, but the Brithdir product clearly has those who rate him at Cardiff.

Evans impressed at non-league Gateshead and even won a Wembley cup final with them, however that's a far cry from the rigours and challenges of Championship football. At 22, the former Wales youth international needs regular game time next term.