Swans Step Up Their Search for New Blood This Week
Monday, 11th Jan 2021 09:00 by Keith Haynes

The knock backs in recent weeks on the loan transfer market and permanent signings steps up a level this week as Steve Cooper and Co go looking to firm up the deals they have on the table with Arsenal and Crawley. Not only that a defender is on the horizon too.

Rumours and targets are the way during the transfer window, speculation and supporters wishes for new players spin fans heads round and round. We do know there is going to be new additions this month. More talent will be added in attack, and as well in defence. The Arsenal contact last week for Folarin Balogun is an example, and talks will continue we are sure about that as well. However, that particular player is inbetween a rock and a hard place, he has been at Arsenal for years, a product of the gunners school within the Arsenal framework. Now only months away from his contract expiring Arsenal manager Arteta is not keen to see his player leave on loan with his head on football matters away from the Emirates. Arteta wants him nailed down on a long contract, and potentially only then will Folarin Balogun have a clear mind to go out on loan. That all makes sense, and any thoughts of Swansea City signing him on a permanent deal can be forgotten, it won’t happen. Ten million pounds says it’s a big no. Arteta also has another concern, Liverpool are more than interested in his signature, now that’s a club who can deal in big money. If Arsenal have to cut their losses they will want big money and that rules the swans out.

Watters remains Coopers top target this window

Swansea City we have no doubt will return to conversations with Arsenal this week to attempt to persuade the north London club to loan their prized product west to help in the promotion push. Away from there we have Max Watters, there’s no doubts here either, Swansea City are the only club to have tabled a bid for Watters, rumours to be in the region of half a million, this has been rejected, The swans will have to up their offer to around 850k and only then there will have to be a structured deal to get it done. It could go higher, but the higher it goes, the longer the structure of the deal, appearances, goals, sell on fee, will all come in to play. However, Watters is and always has been a prized target this transfer window, and Cooper will want him done and dusted this week. If it doesn’t happen this quick we are pretty certain it could die a death as the swans look elsewhere as it is -now not when that is the issue for Swansea.

Another player who is clearly not in his managers thoughts is Pablo Hernandez of Leeds,if he becomes available, or should we say if offers are appropriate then Leeds will almost certainly look to offload him. For this to be a satisfactory deal for Swansea the length of contract is important. Pablo is no longer a youngster and at 36 in April his value won’t be a lot and we expect a loan is more preferred until May by Swansea. We think Pablo’s age is well against him hence the loan preference, this week we will see more on this but it’s not as urgent as the players already mentioned.

Swansea City have most certainly taken a fancy to the uncompromising defender Aaron Pierre at Shrewsbury Town. In recent months his performances have been extremely impressive, He is 28 in February, in his prime, and just what Cooper would need in the event Bennett and Latibeaudiere remain unfit for selection. Cooper isn’t just looking at the next six months though, Shrewsbury would want in the region of 400k for the player, and the Watters deal is a priority. Coopers other considerations ( should ) he guide the swans to promotion is money out elsewhere weakens his transfer chest. So, does he sign players now that could be out of favour in a premier league season or go for it knowing they may be the difference come May ?

Aaron Pierre, everything Cooper likes in his defenders

We know there’s a few quid available should the promotion dream become reality, but then if it goes stale Cooper will have a squad of players most certainly good enough for a tilt again next season. With or without him.

Away from there and it’s been difficult to firm up the course Swansea are steering this month, we do know that there are several other players on Coopers list, including an academy product from the premier league. This could mean the swans remain in London looking to do business with a plethora of young talented players at both Chelsea and Spurs. Those clubs as well as Arsenal know of Swansea’s success at bringing on players on short term loans, Rhian Brewster is proof of that as well as a variety of academy players Introduced over the past few years. So as we hear you hear, that’s the best we can do for now. What we can say is if Max Watters does get signed and sealed this week it will be a deal that will almost certainly cost the main bulk of any money available. This in turn will determine how the swans progress from there, it’s always interesting this time of year traditionally not a time for lots of transfers but let’s be clear here - Swansea City will be doing business, have no fear about that.