Swans are looking to recruit in January and here is a confirmed target
Thursday, 21st Sep 2023 11:19 by Keith Haynes

Michael Duff has suggested to sporting Director Paul Watson that Devante Cole, son of former Newcastle United and Manchester United forward Andy could assist the Swans in the goalscoring department.

Reports are surfacing on the Swans interest in the player and from our inquiries we have been told he is most certainly a target that interests Swansea City. Cole is now twenty eight with around a goal in three matches at his current club Barnsley. He has scored eight in eight this campaign. Overall his goalscoring figures are moderate with around a goal in every 3.5 games in his career. He has played for Wigan, Fleetwood, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City and Motherwell to name a few clubs he has played for.

Duff obviously is fully aware of the player after managing him last season,

Cole’s contract at Barnsley ends at the end of this season leaving him open to make his own decisions in January - and would be available then at a nominal fee. He joined Barnsley in 2021 having turned down new terms at Motherwell ( below ) where he was reasonably successful in front of goal.

With a host of clubs behind him it seems Cole is what would be described as a journeyman footballer in certain circles. He is now twenty eight, and although it won’t surprise Swans fans to be connected with a cheaper option for January it seems an odd choice and a risk. Cole started his career at Manchester City where he was in the end of appalling racial abuse when on a pre season tour of Spain. Coke said at the time, He said: “I was at Manchester City and we went away to Spain. I don’t know what he ( the opposition player ) said to me but one of the boys behind me in Spanish has told me what he said. I’ve turned round and he’s tried to spit on me. Straight away I’ve gone to swing [for him] and I just thought I couldn’t care less what happens after this. But luckily one of my team-mates has caught me and it’s all started kicking off. After the game City put in a complaint and they got fined ten grand or something like that. Something stupid anyway that didn’t affect the club”

His career has been unremarkable and this will be seen as his last opportunity to have a decent last pay day in his prime, Our view is extremely cautious on this. We already have a collection of pretty average signings this summer. In the forward position Jerry Yates seems completely out of sorts in the Championship after two goals early on. The players selected so far seem to be average Championship players, and Devante Cole is unproven in this league. A bit of a gamble ?