Swansea City striker, Jerry Yates, considered a no brainer of a signing last summer seems to be on the verge of leaving the Swans for the whole of next season. With numerous clubs chasing him a deal it seems is close to being agreed.

In an exclusive, football insider have reported that Derby County have won the battle with a number of other clubs to get Jerry’s signature. Amongst others, Stoke City, QPR, Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers have all inquired about his services. Having done some work on this we have been told that Jerry was circulated as a potential loan opportunity for clubs earlier this month. Jerry wasn’t interested in dropping down a league, and when you look at the clubs involved Derby County seem the best of the bunch. Newly promoted and very much a big club on the crest of a wave, Yates will be seen as an asset to the Rams next season.

Deals of this nature, especially to a rival Championship club will most certainly see them pay his salary in full and bonuses. When you think about it, Jerry, who is on around £12,500 a week (50k a month) will only cost Derby around half a million pounds for the loan period. That’s not a bad deal for them in the short term. A loan fee could be waved if a full salary is agreed. And also the Swans free up that money to improve their squad. It has to be said that Yates hasn’t impressed for the majority of last season, his expected goal scoring record at Blackpool couldn’t be matched in a Swansea shirt. That’s the Rams gamble, but we feel a change of environment will suit him and hopefully breathe new confidence into the player.

The deal isn’t finalised, and we haven’t been made aware of any conditions such as loan to buy or any return clause, we should have those details once a medical and paperwork are completed. Maybe now the Swans can pursue a striker target we have seen much talk about in the form of Macauley Langstaff ? That proposition though is in the hands of Millwall who by all accounts tabled an offer for him yesterday. If the Swans move quickly they can almost certainly match anything Millwall can offer.

That said, Millwall do have a player in Joe Bryan who is ‘rumoured’ to be on thirty thousand pounds a week. That’s seems an incredible amount of money and is hotly disputed by their fans. Their wage bill is very similar to the Swans and reviewing their figures a 10k a week salary seems to be a ball park figure. Is it now a matter of when and not if the Swans show a concrete interest ?

We can only hope.

Photograph licensed from Reuters

Swansea City Polls