CARDIFF City want to recall Joe Mason from his loan spell with Wanderers in January.

The 23-year-old striker was due to stay the whole season after being sent out by the Bluebirds at the start of August for a third stint with the Whites.

Although Mason featured heavily under Dougie Freedman, his appearances have been less frequent since Neil Lennon’s arrival – with the former Ireland Under-21 international starting just a solitary game against Brentford.

Sources in South Wales have claimed for a few weeks that Russell Slade was looking into the possibility of bringing Mason back into the fold.

“We have eight players out on loan and we are keeping up-to-date on how they are doing,” said Slade yesterday. “I am, in particular, keen to see how Joe Mason is going at Bolton.”

Wanderers maintain no contact has been made – but reports in Cardiff suggest the Championship club have grown frustrated by Mason’s lack of chances and want to invoke a recall clause in the transfer window.

Lennon – who this week loaned Jermaine Beckford out to Preston North End – insisted yesterday that he was looking to give Mason an opportunity and he will be involved with the squad as they head for Blackpool this afternoon.

But with the rumour mill continuing to link the Wanderers boss with a flurry of strikers, including Kris Commons, Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper, not to mention Eidur Gudjohnsen who has trained with the club for the last fortnight, a return could potentially suit all parties.

Like Beckford, Mason’s path has been blocked by the outstanding form of Craig Davies.

After scoring a 24-minute hat-trick against Rotherham United in mid-September he has started just three games.

Lennon has also persisted with a 4-2-3-1 formation, playing the likes of Max Clayton and Chung-Yong Lee behind the Wales international.

Slade is also thought to have investigated the option of bringing back full-back Kevin McNaughton from his loan spell with the Whites.

Unlike Mason, the Scottish defender has no recall clause in the window and it is understood he is certain to see out of the remainder of his Cardiff contract with Bolton before becoming a free agent next summer.