Championship transfer news: Ex-£9m Sunderland and Leeds United striker signs for EFL strugglers

The former Ipswich Town attacker had been training with the Wales club and underwent rehabilitation with the Cardiff physios for a minor injury.

Cardiff boss Sabri Lamouchi signed the striker after the 29-year-old left League One side Forest Green Rovers last month and parachuted the attacker straight into their squad for the game against Birmingham City. Wickham came on as a substitute and bagged an assist for the Bluebirds as they won 2-0.

Wickham enjoyed a four-campaign stint at the Stadium of Light – with loans at Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday in between – following an £8m move from Ipswich Town back in 2011.

The former England youth international found the net just 15 times in 91 appearances on Wearside before sealing a move to Palace on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee in 2015.

The fee broke Ipswich Town's record for transfer fees recouped and broke the transfer record for a Football League player moving to a Premier League club at the time. The deal was seen as a coup for the North East club to sign Wickham at the time, having beaten off interest from Liverpool to capture his signature.

The former England youth international found the net just 15 times in 91 appearances on Wearside before sealing a move to Palace on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee in 2015.

Sources at the time reported the fee as a fee rising £9million, meaning around £17million in transfer fees has been spent on Wickham throughout his career.