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Brendan Rodgers fully expects Craig Bellamy to secure a move to Cardiff before the end of this month.
The Liverpool striker has been heavily tipped to return to his home town club, where he spent the 2010-11 season on loan from Manchester City, despite enjoying a new lease of life in his second spell at Anfield.
And Rodgers has confirmed that the Welsh capital is the most likely destination for the 33-year-old, whose family did not relocate with him when he moved back to Merseyside on a free transfer little over 12 months ago.
He said: "I would think so, yes. It's one where I had a real good chat with Craig when I first arrived here. He's a good guy [but] e knows the stage where he's at in his career also. He's not one that can play every week. He's 33 years of age, coming towards the final years of his career and his family's still in Cardiff.
"He made a massive commitment when he came here - he lived on his own. He loved the club, he loved playing for the club but I believe at the end of last season he had already made his decision.
"It was a bit similar to Maxi Rodriguez. These are guys who had made their mind up long before I came in here. I wanted the opportunity to speak to them and as much as they wanted to be involved in the culture and the vision going forward, what is so important for a player is happiness.
"Maxi's family wasn't here. They were going to stay in Argentina and Craig's family is not here, they're down in Cardiff. Unless a player is happy, you don't get the maximum out of them and that's probably where he'll end up."
The Kop boss also revealed the qualities which he believes Bellamy's replacement at Liverpool must possess.
"A player of that quality would be a miss for the squad but I don't dwell on it," he added.
"It's something that if he ends up going there then we'll wish him all the best. He'll still be a big Liverpool supporter and he'll know it's not for football reasons that he'll be leaving - it's purely for family - so the job is to get a player with similar qualities, which is fast, effective and someone who can create and score goals."
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