News broke earlier today that Newcastle United midfielder Haris Vuckic will be joining Championship club Cardiff City on a one-month loan deal. My thinking is that this deal will be extended until the end of the season on the proviso that Newcastle don’t suffer long-term injuries to Yohan Cabaye or Cheik Tiote and that Cardiff manager Malky Mackay likes what he sees in Haris. For me the latter is a dead on certainty as Vuckic is one of Newcastle’s hottest prospects and Cardiff have pulled off a transfer masterstroke.

19-year-old Haris Vuckic is highly thought of on Tyneside by the Newcastle United fans and manager Alan Pardew. Having already been called up to the senior Slovenia squad but yet to win a full cap, Vuckic has all the tools to go a long way in the game. 6ft 3in tall, Haris is a big presence in the middle of the park and going forward he looks very impressive and he must be imposing for defenders despite his young age and slight build.

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His potential is there for all to see at Newcastle. He has made two starts for the Magpies this season and had contrasting fortunes despite losing on both occasions. When he played against West Brom at St James’ Park he looked very good indeed and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after hitting a thunderous shot from distance. Against Liverpool he was all but anonymous, but that’s hardly surprising from such a young man with so little top level experience under his belt.

For Haris it’s not about the short-term, but how he progresses in the long-term. A short stint at Cardiff should help that progression, as the Bluebirds currently sit 4th in the Championship table and it will be good for Vuckic to be involved in a promotion push. There is also a good feeling around Cardiff as they have a date at Wembley to look forward to in the form of a Carling Cup final against Liverpool, while Mackay is a very talented young manager who I’m sure wouldn’t have brought Haris in unless he intended to play him.

With Cabaye and Tiote both set to return after Saturday’s trip to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham, it isn’t a surprise that Haris has been sent out on loan. Neither is it a shock that a top Championship club wanted to snap him up, but I am a little surprised that former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton didn’t take him to Birmingham, one of Cardiff’s promotion rivals. As it is I’ll now be watching Cardiff’s games a little more closely to see how Vuckic is getting on, starting with their visit to Leicester City at the weekend.

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