Cardiff City striker Idriss Saadi edges closer to Bluebirds first-team appearance

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade has said that he is aiming to name summer signing Idriss Saadi in his first-team squad within the next three games.

Saadi signed for the Bluebirds from Ligue 2 side Clermont in August despite rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in January, but is now returning to full fitness and made his first appearance for the Welsh side in a friendly against Portsmouth on Tuesday.

With that, Slade now expects the former France Under-19 player to make an appearance on the Cardiff bench in the near future.

"Idriss had 60 minutes against Portsmouth that's what we wanted, we took him off, we did not want him doing any more than that," Slade told reporters.

"We were very pleased. The Preston game on Saturday will be too soon for him, but say over the next three games we will be looking at him coming onto the bench. That could even be brought forward if we have other injuries."

Former Saint-Etienne frontman Saadi scored 20 goals in 42 appearances for Clermont.