Cardiff City may have made one of the most sensational loan signings of the year, as Sunderland’s Michael Chopra is returning to the club where he made himself a household name – on loan at least until January.
The 24 year old will be trying desperately to refind his form again to prove to his current manager, Roy Keane, that he is a natural goalscorer. Though there is talk that the loan deal may end up becoming permanent when the transfer window re-opens.
The Bluebirds will graciously open their sympathetic arms for the return of Chopra who only spent a mere 13 months at Ninian Park. But while his was there, he scored an excellent 22 goals in 42 appearances, including a stunning hat-trick to defeat Leicester City 3-2.
Subsequently he moved to Sunderland for £5 million after the Mackems activated a release clause in his contract. He scored the opening day winner against Tottenham at the Stadium of Light last season, when he came on as a late substitute, but lack of consistency and being a former Newcastle starlet, the fans never warmed to him and he found his chances few and far between.
Last season he only managed to score six goals to contribute to Sunderland’s survival in the Premiership, playing many of his games from midfield.
This season Roy Keane has dropped Chopra down the pecking order, as new strikers El-Hadji Diouf and Djibril Ciise were brought in this summer.
Michael Chopra’s return to Ninian Park has come about as Cardiff’s front pairing of Ross McCormack and Jay Bothroyd have both been ruled out of action for a lengthy period due to hamstring injuries.
McCormack has been the star of the show this season with his 11 goals helping Cardiff into the play-off places. With Bothroyd, the dymamic duo supplied a lethal partnership scoring 14 out of the 19 goals of the teams tally.
Manager Dave Jones has moved shrewdly to re-employ Chopra’s services and with the upcoming game against rivals Queens Park Rangers they need to maintain their good form in order to cement their position in the play off places.
Michael Chopra could end up being the man to score the goals which will see Cardiff City win promotion from the Championship.
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