Cardiff City eye last-minute transfer move for Sheffield Wednesday striker Jordan Rhodes

Bluebirds boss Neil Harris is in the hunt for Rhodes if move for Crystal Palace's Connor Wickham falls through

Cardiff City boss Neil Harris is stepping up an 11th-hour move for Jordan Rhodes as he seeks to bolster his squad before the January transfer window shuts.

Rhodes was once amongst the most prolific strikers in the country, with a phenomenal goal-getting record at Blackburn and Huddersfield.

He joined Blackburn in an £8million move eight years ago, but has seen his career dip more recently and the goals dry up.

However, Rhodes is still only 29 and it is thought Harris feels the front-man can give his Bluebirds the goal boost that has been lacking up top this season.

Rhodes has previously been linked with the Bluebirds, but the final day of the window move comes as Harris seems destined to miss out on Connor Wickham, who looks likely to go on loan to Sheffield Wednesday from Crystal Palace.

Rhodes is also on Wednesday's books and grabbed a hat-trick in their win over Nottingham Forest just over a month ago.

But he has fallen down the pecking order at Hillsborough and the impending arrival of Wickham could give Wednesday boss Garry Monk the opportunity to let Rhodes go.

It is unclear whether any Cardiff move would be permanent, or a loan deal.

If Harris pulls off the transfer, it might receive mixed messages from Cardiff supporters.

Many believe Callum Paterson should be handed the chance to lead the line and that more pressing priorities are a fast, creative winger, plus an athletic midfielder.

However, others will be excited as Rhodes does have a proven scoring record, feeling with the right service he could bag the goals that see a Bluebirds charge up the table.

Rhodes made his name with Huddersfield Town in League One, netting an impressive 87 times in 148 appearances.

The secured a move into the Championship with Blackburn, where he scored 85 goals in 169 games.

That lethal finishing saw Rhodes linked with a number of Premier League clubs, but the move never materialised and he has seen that prolific ratio dry up.

Sent out on loan to Norwich last season, Rhodes netted nine times as the Canaries secured promotion. This season, back at Wednesday, he has bagged those three goals in one game against Forest in his 15 appearances for the club.

Harris has let Gary Madine go, with Omar Bogle also now linking up with Dutch side Den Haag.

He still has Paterson, Robert Glatzel, Danny Ward and Isaac Vassell on the books, but is thought to be of the view Rhodes can become a bit hit with Cardiff.

Paterson did a good job up when he moved up front in Tuesday night's win over West Brom, having also played there in the Premier League for the Bluebirds.

Many fans feel he can continue to do a stop-gap job at centre-forward, with the greater pressing priorities in midfield and out wide. The Bluebirds badly need to inject some pace into the starting XI before the transfer window closes at 11pm.

They have been linked with a move for Forest winger Albert Adomah.