Cardiff City linked with move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Steven Caulker

Cardiff City could be ready to make a shock move for Tottenham’s England centre-back Steven Caulker.

Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay is stepping up his moves to strengthen his squad as the clock ticks down on their Premier League bow against West Ham on August 17.

And there have been suggestions he has lodged an interest in 21-year-old defender Caulker - a former Swansea City loan star - as he looks to bolster his defence.

Caulker’s Premier League pedigree is already well known in South Wales after his season-long stay with the Swans that enhanced his reputation as one of the brightest defensive prospects around.

His performances at the Liberty during Swansea’s maiden year in the Premier earned him a call-up to the Team GB squad for the London Olympics as well as seeing him force his way into first-team plans at White Hart Lane.

Caulker made 26 appearances during his time at Swansea, going on to win a first senior England cap the following season while back at Spurs.

But he has not figured regularly in North London and Mackay - as also reported by the Daily Mail and Sky Sports -  could be ready to offer that chance at Cardiff, with a loan move a possibility.

Swansea attempted to secure the return of Caulker last summer, but were unable to make any headway in a deal while Brendan Rodgers was also linked with a move to take him with him to Liverpool.

Mackay - Rodgers’ former assistant at Watford - could be ready to step-in, but it remains to be seen whether Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas - currently trying to ward off Real Madrid’s advances for Wales star Gareth Bale - would be prepared to let Caulker leave.

The former Yeovil and Bristol City loanee played in both of Spurs’ recent friendly games with Sunderland and South China in Hong Kong and the recent injury suffered by Jan Vertonghen could see him want to keep Caulker as cover.

And regardless of his relative lack of game time, he is considered to be highly-rated at Tottenham - something Swansea found out as they made noises of a second move for him 12 months ago.

Cardiff have also been linked with a move for Espanyol’s Mexico international centre-back Hector Moreno while are still trying to secure a deal for France midfielder Etienne Capoue.