Despite all the news floating around of players leaving the Swans this summer, and there’s many, there is one goal for new Sporting Director Paul Watson. That goal is retaining the jewels Swansea have already in stock, and it’s these players that are crucial to Swansea City’s new season.

Olivier Ntcham has been an asset to the Swans, a player on a big weekly wage, potentially the biggest outlay the club have. If Michael Duff wants him to stay then Ntcham only has a year left on his contract. That leaves him in the position of being able to leave at the end of next season, and at a time when he will be looking at getting potentially the biggest pay day of his career. He will be twenty eight come next June, and his next deal will have to reflect a player in his prime. The question we have to pose is will the Swans enhance his current deal to retain his services ? It’s a tough one but with Ntcham’s current deal being at the top of the Swans player salary outlay a tough decision has to be made. Can they get better for less ? because that’s how Watson works, he did it at Luton for nearly five years.

The other matter is does Duff want him at Swansea ? If not then surely he should be put in the shop window asap. As we know if he leaves at the end of the coming season, like Ryan Manning he goes for free.

Another player is Ben Cabango, okay, he has two seasons to run to 2025, however, if the Swans are to avoid situations like Manning and now Piroe then a new contract offer has to be made. As he travels through next season, and with interest out there from other clubs a new contract would secure him at Swansea City. And it would be a statement of intent. He is already a big part of the Wales international set up with a very decent future ahead of him. His football improved dramatically under Russell Martin so again the buck will stop with Michael Duff.

These two players are the top picks for Paul Watson to manage this summer, in Cabango he has a solid defender in the Swans squad, in Ntcham he has a player that could generate more finances this summer. It could be the Swans are happy for him to run down his contract to the end of next season and let him leave as a free agent. Over the coming twelve months Ntcham will be paid around a million pounds if his twenty three thousand pounds a week is to be believed, and it’s in that region for sure. To improve on that will be costly.

Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea is Liam Cullen, but does score goals. His contract is up at the end of the coming season, albeit with a one year option. With Morgan Whittaker and Joel Piroe of interest to numerous clubs, then Liam, who loves being at Swansea is another consideration. Michael Duff we are told has his eye on two very capable forwards this summer. Will Cullen be back up to these incoming forwards ? If of course it happens, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t. Any player coming in this summer will be the new managers preference, so Cullen could find himself on the bench a lot. Retaining a player like Liam will be well within the clubs budget but he will be expecting an increase in salary. The odds are he will get a contract offer, and the odds are he will sign it.

If it happens.

Liam Walsh who is recognised as a very gifted footballer, and when fit he is a real asset to the Swans. His contract also expires at the end of next season. Unfortunately for Liam his injury record isn’t good at all. It was a gamble bringing him to Swansea and to an extent that hasn’t paid off. He has had numerous injuries. In Liam’s case it is about proving his fitness, he is twenty six in September but how much more time will he be given to display his worth ? In the past two seasons Liam has played just twelve league games with a couple of cup appearances, no club can really afford to retain a player with that return. If the Swans do see a fitter and more combative Liam Walsh he may well get an offer of some sorts. But really ? When you look at the stats, it’s erring towards him playing out his final twelve months. There really shouldn’t be any sympathy when it comes to shelling out thousands of pounds a week on a player who will almost certainly be injured again before the coming season is finished

We could include Jamie Paterson but his age is against him to some extent, and for Russell Martin over eighteen months his attitude as well. Duff will see Paterson in the close quarter environment of the training camp in Spain, and that’s pretty much where his future lay, his behaviour over the past few days and those days ahead of him.

You do get the feeling there will be a lot of change over the coming weeks before the new season starts, and more than likely as August progresses. Michael Duff is very much a new broom, and Paul Watson most certainly the ‘Trigger’ to getting this sorted in double quick time.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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