Cardiff City Player of the Season: Six Contenders… But One Big Name Missing

Cardiff City have opened voting for their 2025/26 Player of the Season award, with the Bluebirds faithful set to decide the winner ahead of the club’s Awards Evening on April 25.

City have named a six-man shortlist:

• Joel Bagan

• Nathan Trott

• Ryan Wintle

• Rubin Colwill

• Yousef Salech

• Dylan Lawlor

There are strong cases across the board, but the shortlist also raises an interesting question… Is there one key name missing?

Before exploring that, here’s a closer look at each of the nominees and why they’ve earned their place.

Joel Bagan

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 45

Goals: 1

Assists: 4

The 24-year-old has arguably put together his most complete season in a Cardiff City shirt.

He has established himself as a dependable presence on the left side of defence, missing just one League One fixture, and featuring in every match of City’s run to the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

His availability has been key, particularly as the only senior option in that role in the first half of the season, offering consistency to a previously unsettled position at City.

Alongside his defensive solidity, Bagan has also contributed going forward, creating the most chances for Cardiff this season, with 57 in the league.

With his contract set to expire this summer, his performances come at a crucial time as to whether his stay in the Welsh capital will be extended.

Nathan Trott

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 41

Clean Sheets: 14

The West Ham academy product was Brian Barry-Murphy’s first summer signing and quickly established himself as Cardiff’s No.1.

He became the first goalkeeper in the club’s history to keep five clean sheets in his first five appearances and made key saves in tight games to help secure points in the early promotion push.

Trott combines strong shot-stopping with impressive ball-playing abilities, bringing a calmness and assurance between the sticks, qualities that have earned him regular game time.

The 27-year-old’s performances also strengthen the case for Cardiff to make his move permanent, reportedly around £1.5million, should promotion be secured.

Ryan Wintle

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 41

Goals: 1

Assists: 5

Since returning from a loan at Millwall, the 28-year-old has been integral to Cardiff’s midfield.

Operating at the base of midfield, Wintle dictates tempo, recycles possession, and shields the back four, making him one of the squad’s most reliable performers.

The former Crewe man brings experience and leadership to a young group, providing a stable foundation that allows others to thrive.

His fifth City goal came in August with a 30-yard stunner against Plymouth Argyle, definitely a goal of the season contender at the CCS.

Another senior figure out of contract, Wintle’s future in the Welsh capital remains uncertain, even amid his nomination for Player of the Season.

Rubin Colwill

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 29

Goals: 7

Assists: 6

The 23-year-old was voted Cardiff’s vice-captain at the start of the season by his peers, reflecting his growing maturity.

Colwill has shown improved consistency alongside his natural technical ability, offering a creative spark capable of unlocking defences and changing matches.

Wearing the number 10 shirt, he has recorded his best career output with seven goals and six assists in 29 appearances across all competitions so far this season.

An ankle injury in November sidelined him for 11 weeks, but since returning in February, he has netted three goals and provided an assist, quickly establishing himself in the starting XI.

Despite the injury, his influence has been clear when fully fit, and he recently penned a new deal keeping him at his boyhood club until 2030.

Yousef Salech

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 34

Goals: 13

Assists: 4

In his first full season at Cardiff, the 24-year-old Dane is the club’s top scorer heading into the final seven games.

The 6ft 5 striker started 24 of 27 League One fixtures before a freak injury against Stockport County in January.

Salech offers a different dimension to Cardiff’s attack, using his physical presence and intelligent movement to occupy defenders and make runs in behind. He also boasts the highest xG per 90 in League One (0.67), but has missed the most big chances with 29 this season.

The pick of his 13 goals this season came against Leyton Orient in January, when he ran from halfway past multiple defenders before rounding the goalkeeper and sending a rifling shot into the roof of the net in a magnificent solo effort.

Having signed a new contract until 2030, Salech looks set to remain a key asset as Cardiff push towards promotion and is a worthy candidate for the award.

Dylan Lawlor

25/26 Stats

Appearances: 26

Goals: 2

Assists: 2

The 20-year-old had made just two senior appearances before this season, but under Brian Barry-Murphy, he has broken through in style. A classy centre-half, Lawlor combines composure on the ball with a strong passing range and defensive assurance.

He earned international recognition from Craig Bellamy, winning Man of the Match on his Wales senior debut against Kazakhstan in September.

The City academy product has drawn interest from giant clubs including Manchester United and Bayern Munich, perhaps unsurprisingly given his high potential.

Lawlor has also made his mark offensively, with two inch-perfect lofted through balls to Alex Robertson resulting in goals and remarkable individual solo efforts against Leyton Orient and Doncaster, the latter winning Sky Bet League One Goal of the Month for February.

A remarkable breakout campaign, his contributions both defending and attacking, despite minor injuries, show the rare profile of a young academy graduate ready to go to the highest level.

Expiring Contracts Add Further Intrigue

Beyond performances on the pitch, there’s added intrigue to the award this season.

As highlighted in my “Renew or Not” last month, both Joel Bagan and Ryan Wintle are out of contract, while Nathan Trott’s future depends on whether Cardiff triggers their option to sign him permanently.

That means half of the Player of the Season shortlist could face an uncertain summer, and bigger decisions are looming behind the scenes as to whether these key players will remain in the Welsh capital beyond this season.

The Notable Omission: Perry Ng

While all six nominees have strong cases, the absence of Perry Ng is hard to ignore.

The right-back has been one of Cardiff’s most consistent performers this season, featuring in 36 games across all competitions with 5 goals and 5 assists - the joint-most goal contributions in a season for him in a City shirt.

After a pre-season injury, Ng quickly locked down his place on the right side of defence, starting 31 League One fixtures and delivering reliable performances, week in, week out.

His importance to the side is not a new story. The 29-year-old won back-to-back Player of the Season awards in 2022/23 and 2023/24, and has built up a reputation as one of Cardiff’s most dependable figures since joining from Crewe Alexandra in January 2021.

Perhaps that consistency has worked against him, with the spotlight shifting towards players who have not yet won the award.

Still, based purely on this season, there’s a strong argument that Ng deserved inclusion - and could have been a contender for a third Player of the Season award in six seasons.

Final Verdict

With a strong shortlist, Cardiff supporters face a tough decision for Player of the Season.

For me, the standout choice is Ryan Wintle.

Cardiff simply look a better side with him at the base of midfield, bringing balance, composure, and protection to the back four while enabling others further freedom. Many of the Bluebirds’ best performances this season have come with Wintle at the heart of midfield.

What sets Wintle apart is his ultra consistency. Others have been reliable, but none match the 28-year-old’s week-in, week-out performances, providing the foundation the team has built upon all season.

That’s not to take away from the rest of the nominees. Joel Bagan and Nathan Trott both run him close, while Yousef Salech, Dylan Lawlor and Rubin Colwill have all proved their high potential.

Ultimately, Wintle’s consistency, influence, and importance to the Brian Barry-Murphy system make him, in my view, the most deserving candidate for the award.

Supporters can have their say via the club’s official website with this link to decide your Cardiff City Player of the Season for the 2025/26 season.