The Welsh derby between Swansea City and Cardiff City kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday, the Swans the away side and very much struggling for form on the road. Tonight we will look at where we are as the transfer window reaches half way.,
The Swans last three away games have shown that even with the best players available, especially at Portsmouth and Hull City - they just didn’t have the basic skill set both physically and mentally to win both games. Especially those tough demanding games against teams fighting for their lives to avoid relegation. And Cardiff City fit that bill as well. They seem ready to conclude a deal for Yousef Salech.(speculated at over three millions pounds ) Salech is from Swedish club, Sirius who also have Noel Milleskog, a name many Swans fans are getting used to. He has been linked to Swansea city for seven months now. However, nothing firm to date has happened. That’s the same for Adam Phillips at Barnsley, linked to Swansea but very little bar him being of interest at this time too. Joe Low will drag on a bit, however there is an update this evening. The reason ? Football Director, Daniel Rice has been distracted by the sudden leaving of Matt Bloomfield, who if the surface is scraped a bit was on the cards for a while behind the scenes. Based on that you would expect Wycombe to have at least progressed some way to getting in a preferred replacement.
We have to add as was discussed two days ago on our forum that Tyrhys Dolan currently at Blackburn Rovers is not a target for the Swans, and wasn’t when it was reported by Football League World.
There has been a suggestion of a player swap deal plus cash for Joe Low. We immediately got some guidance on this and have been told if that’s the case then surely that would have been in amongst a number of differing suggestions the Swans would make from the start. Player/cash deals do happen, but an experienced negotiator in these matters we are told would be offering numerous terms at the start for the selling club to think over. Payments, loans back, cash incentives, players to be included plus a whole host of options to interest Wycombe. We are not saying that Swans Chairmen, Andrew Coleman hasn’t done that but really in these types of negotiations you would expect an experienced voice overlooking the scenario ? Coleman is the lead man on everything the Swans are doing this month. He has recruitment guy Martin Hodge of course, but these terms in all matters we are told are crucial from the off.
But then we do hear that Wycombe just won’t budge at the moment.
We discussed that dangerous game this week, see below.
All manner of options including the Swans preferred payment terms Wycombe know, but the figure being discussed is more towards a million than six hundred thousand pounds. Despite the profit and sustainability issues surely an extra three hundred thousand pounds or so isn’t unachievable ? We still maintain this is all about staggering payments as much as the fee. Then of course we are sure you are thinking - Just who have the Swans got in any swap deal that would remotely interest Wycombe Wanderers ?
Things can change in a heartbeat, let us hope Andrew Coleman keeps his regular, and in sinus rhythm because a lot of Swans fans will be judging him on this window for sure.
The Welsh derby in focus from tomorrow morning.