Swansea City: Defensive trio linked with enquiries from SA1 on a testing weekend
Inquiring for players is one of the things we appear to be adept at during a transfer window.Despite the rhetoric from the top about our forward planning expertise, actually signing them becomes a completely different thing, and we face significant challenges in that area.
There will undoubtedly be a few late additions at Swansea.com Stadium as the transfer window draws to a close, followed by the customary “we will learn from these mistakes and the planning for the summer window has already started” that has been the norm for the last four transfer windows.
However, there has been no shortage of the Swans “making enquiries” or “eyeing up moves” during each of those windows, which can occasionally indicate that it is just agent talk or even lazy journalism connecting players with a move to this specific region of South West Wales.
Given the uncertainty surrounding manager Luke Williams’ future, some even argue that the Swans should have a relatively quiet January transfer window. However, since they signed a deal to acquire the team at the end of last year, the Swans are known to be eager to at least strengthen a little bit during this window, something the new owners feel is necessary to demonstrate their desire to improve the team.
While the majority of the conversation over the weekend focused on the Swans’ pathetic and meek performance in losing the South Wales derby to Cardiff 3-0, there were also suggestions for three additional defensive players, which is probably not surprising given how unlikely it is that we will be able to close a deal for Joe Low. Regarding that agreement, the Swans have a maximum amount they are willing to pay, and it has been suggested by multiple parties that this amount is still somewhat less than the price Wycombe has demanded.
The new link then leads to two possible loan signings: Burnley defender Hannes Delcroix and Aston Villa defender Lamare Bogarde are both rumored to be targets for the Swans in a loan agreement, and all three have reportedly prompted SA1 to contact the players’ respective clubs.
The third connection is more permanent, as Bristol City and Amiens defender Osaze Urhoghide are reportedly targets.
Given our current league position, which will be too strong to see us fully enter a relegation battle, and the fact that we are some distance away from being a potential top six contender—a fact that is underscored by some of our more pitiful recent performances—I currently see very little point in the Swans pursuing any loan targets.
Given that Urhoghide, 24, is reportedly capable of playing anywhere along the back line but mostly in the center back position, the connection with him makes more sense.We are known to be in the market for a defender, but have we set our sights on Urhoghide given the uncertain situation surrounding Harry Darling and our recent moves for Low?
Bogarde is drawing interest from other unidentified clubs both domestically and overseas in relation to the loan acquisitions, while Oxford is reportedly interested in Delcroix, who hasn’t played for the Clarets this season but did last year when they were demoted from the Premier League.
As was already noted, the reasoning behind employing loan signings does not seem like something we should actively pursue unless we believe we have the ability to make the deals permanent. We’ve had a terrible loan record in recent years, and we’ve come under fire for seemingly wanting to develop younger players from other teams rather than giving our own first team players an opportunity.
With only two weeks remaining in the window, we wait to see what the final two weeks will bring, but we anticipate more inquiries, increased interest, and a few unexpected deals.It appears to be the Swansea way.
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