Swansea City : There will be Chelsea links all summer, keeper run down
Sunday, 23rd Jun 2024 17:39 by Keith Haynes

Journalists, Twitter nomads of X and anyone interested in the progress of Swansea City this summer will be trying to link Chelsea’s upcoming players to the Swans. There have been some successes over the years, but the link now is a far more relevant one.

As we discussed recently with Chelsea making Alfie Gilchrist available on loan this summer, a player who has tasted Premier League football in recent times, there are a number of opportunities.

We discussed Alfie here —> ⚽️ Alfie Christie profile

Alfie on form and experience seems to be the best of what is available to Championship clubs, and the Swans will have almost certainly discussed him and others this summer, but it is a summer that just cannot go wrong. Sporting Director, Paul Watson is under intense scrutiny, as will be head of recruitment, Martin Hodge as this summer progresses. Of course most realise that the chances of Paul Watson and Josh Marsh (Chelsea loans and pathways manager) talking on the subject of loan players is almost a dead cert. They have a good friendship from when Marsh was at Swansea until March this year, a time when he saw the Chelsea challenge too good to turn down. Watson would be very much neglecting his duty to Swansea had he not spoken to Marsh on player availability.

What we do know is that there has been ‘very little’ concrete interest in bringing in a Chelsea player so far this month, despite links to Faustino Anjorin this weekend nothing at this moment in time is happening, but there is speculation. The midfielder was on loan from Chelsea to Portsmouth last season, sadly he missed a huge part of the season after playing in seven Pompey games. He was out for five months with a hamstring injury. It was a big blow for him and he had only really got back in to the flow things before the season ended. The Swans will be very cautious on the player for sure. Josh Ginnelly is a prime objective, and if the Swans can get him right he will be like a new signing for this coming season. Anjorin is a gamble. A fit Ginnelly is not a gamble.

There will be other Chelsea names linked, but really they don’t seem that inspiring bar the obvious, players like Andrey Santos who has been on loan in Ligue one in France with RC Strasbourg Alsace is a stand out performer. He is one of the Chelsea conundrums, signed until 2030 under the Chelsea strategy of long contracts to move away from profit and sustainability. A central midfield player of his quality would be welcomed by any Championship club, and it’s very likely another loan will be sought for him by Josh Marsh. Still only twenty, you would think Chelsea would be looking to a higher level for him to progress.

Talk of a keeper is hot on any Swans fans agenda, Kepa Revuelta (Arrizabalaga) the twenty nine year old goalkeeper who was on loan at Real Madrid last season is way, way out of sight surely ? His career has fallen down somewhat since he was a regular under Graham Potter, his loan in Madrid saw him gain twenty appearances in all competitions. However, there is another keeper at Chelsea who may fit the bill. Gabriel Slonina spent last season on loan at FC Eupen in the Jupiler Pro League in Belgium. The twenty year old is a big lad, Chelsea signed him from Chicago Fire eighteen months ago on another extended contract until 2028, and he will most certainly be of interest in any conversations between Chelsea and Swansea.

Thrusting him into the Championship though ?

Finding a player that really does match up to the standards the Swans want as Ipswich Town did last season with Omari Hutchinson - who is now the subject of a move to Portman Road is unlikely. Not that it’s impossible but reviewing what would be available to Swansea City as a loan makes it a difficult choice.

We hope you have enjoyed our Sunday review on the current loan situation between Chelsea and the Swans, of course it isn’t definitive, there will be much more to talk about.

Keep it here on the Indy.