Picked these comment up from http://www.footyplace.com/features/januarys-wishlist-for-chelsea-arsenal-united-spurs-liverpool-1203305389? although I've not heard of it before - 'Wilfried Bony, Asmir Begovic, James McCarthy and Ki Sung-Yeung should be on the January radar for Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool, says Michael Graham. WILFRIED BONY: With all due respect to Swansea, that Bony still plies his trade at the Liberty Stadium is one of the most surprising things to have happened in the Premier League for a long time. The Ivorian has everything that a top club could possibly want – pace, strength, a reliable presence with his back to goal and some genuine finesse in the finish. Historically, he’s the kind of player the rich stump up the cash for and take from the more modest clubs at the earliest opportunity, yet Bony has bucked the trend and remains in South Wales. He surely would have been a safer bet for Liverpool than Mario Balotelli, and possibly more suited to Arsenal’s needs than the often profligate Danny Welback? Surely Tottenham had room for a proven Premier League poacher? Even Chelsea might find more product from him as Diego Costa’s understudy than Didier Drogba.' & 'KI SUNG-YUENG: The second Swansea City player on our list, and with neither of them called Gylfi Sigurdsson, it’s clear just why they are doing so well. I had no idea why Ki was loaned to Sunderland last season and even less idea why he didn’t get a big move after a very good World Cup. He’s an exceptional player for the modern game – mobile, purposeful and penetrative. What’s more, and forgive me for my cynicism, but given his profile in the huge Far East market, he also has significant commercial value to offer a club too. Ki should be a pretty much irresistible draw for the richest and biggest clubs, so why aren’t they chasing? He looks tailor-made for Manchester United to me.' Any thoughts?
Pretty well , you can count on that anything that starts with""no disrespect to"" or "" all due respect"" is total disrespect
Agree with Dai. It would be good to keep Bony, but no point worrying if he leaves. Just think back a few years. Man fans said we were doomed when Martinez left. Many said the same when Brendan left. Some on here had has down to League Two when Brendan left. Many fans had us as relegation favorites when Monk took over. Same with players. Many fans said at the beginning of the season that we didn't have the players to compete. What do these fans know? It's most just their emotions talking. It's very rare for players to be around for years. That's football. You just move on and bring better players in.
During the summer 2013 transfer window there were several reports of Cardiff City and Stoke City fighting it out to sign Nelson Oliveira on loan from Portuguese club Benfica. It was labelled a tug of war between the two clubs and a fight for a player who had been rumoured to be interesting the Manchester teams a year earlier. Both somehow lost out and Oliveira signed for Ligue 1's Rennes. He did relatively well in France and scored 8 goals in 30 matches before returning to Benfica full of hope for the new season. The Portuguese club had been reluctant to let go of the striker, now 23 years old, permanently and so preferred a loan, but he hasn't impressed much this season and is on the edge of manager Jorge Jesus' plans. On Thursday O Jogo newspaper claim that talks have been held with Swansea City and they reckon a January move could be on. Oliveira wants more chances to play and Swansea City would have to convince him he'd get that in the Premier League. It's likely the Welsh club would want an option to buy just in case Oliveira really impressed and it's unknown what Benfica's feelings on that would be. Oliveira was supposed to be waiting to lay them a golden transfer egg in the future. Oliveira has a Benfica contract until 2018 and is represented by the Gestifute agency which is the company run by super agent Jorge Mendes. O Jogo sound optimistic on a deal with both clubs and the player keen to make something happen.
Usual London media garbage, pay no attention Bob, most will be with us again next season!..............
To be honest, Gomis has not pushed the boat out at all, so not that bothered if he goes..................
Swansea City are reportedly eyeing a January move for Atletico Madrid striker Leo Baptistao. The forward moved to the Spanish capital from Rayo Vallecano in 2012, but has spent the last two seasons out on loan, including back at his former club this term. With The Swans expected to lose their top scorer Wilfried Bony to the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast in the New Year, Garry Monk is keen to bolster his frontline, and will contact the La Liga champions in the transfer window about a loan move for the rest of the campaign. The 22-year-old has scored six goals in 12 appearances for Rayo this campaign.
FLW understands that Garry Monk’s Swansea City are contemplating a January bid for Leeds United midfielder Alex Mowatt. Mowatt is being watched by Swansea scouts According to FLW sources, Swansea City scouts were present at Portman Road last Saturday to watch the highly-rated midfielder in action, in what culminated in a 4-1 loss for the Yorkshire club. As reported on FLW earlier this month, Everton and Aston Villa are also eyeing a January move for the promising 19-year-old who has proved to be a influential figure in the Leeds squad this season. Mowatt has made over 50 appearances for the Elland Road outfit, and has become a regular starter under Leeds boss Neil Redfearn, with Redfearn opting to utilise youth in his starting line-ups. The midfielder is not the only youngster impressing at the Championship club, with the likes of Sam Byram and Lewis Cook also standing out. Whether manager Neil Redfearn will allow Mowatt to leave is uncertain, but if the right transfer fee was placed, a move could potentially occur. Leeds United will certainly want a sizeable transfer fee the talented youngster, however whether Swansea, Everton or Villa can offer the right fee is unknown. A possible reason behind Swansea City’s interest could be that Mowatt is seen as a long-term replacement for Leon Britton, who at the age of 32, is reaching the latter stages of his career.
Swansea to sign Matty Grimes - Profile of the Exeter starlet With the Swans reportedly agreeing a fee of £1.75million for the young Exeter midfielder, who is he? TSW investigates... Matt Grimes. Keen. Continuing with the Swans long-standing policy of investing in youth, it appears the latest beneficiary of this policy is Matty Grimes, a young central midfielder plying his trade at Exeter. What did I know about him previously? Not a huge amount if I'm honest, but he has been attracting attention for some time with Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton, Sunderland & Nottingham Forest all linked with a move in the recent past. The first thing that strikes me after a quick internet search is that last summer, after playing a key part in Exeter avoiding relegation, Grimes seemed to have a very mature attitude towards his future for someone so young: “It is pleasing that my performances are getting noticed, but it is all just rumours. I have just got to focus on next season at Exeter because I have not heard anything. Nothing has been said to me directly. “I want to play as high as I can and I’m not going to turn down opportunities to play for England or play for a higher club if it is right, but at the moment I just need to focus on doing what is right in my head and that is staying at Exeter City. “I need to keep my head down and keep doing what I have done in the last year.” Matty Grimes In that situation as a young prospect it would have been very easy to roll out the "It'd be an honour to play for <insert club here> for so many reasons... yada yada yada" so it was a pleasingly mature thing to come out with, given he only turned nineteen in July. Exeter manager Paul Tisdale - a man held in high regard by the Swans - has spoken on numerous occasions about Grimes, and how he has the right attitude as well as the ability on the field. Tisdale on Grimes at the end of last season, and how he compares to Premier League youngsters: “It is inspiring for the young players that are in the academy to see someone step in so young and do so well. It opens people’s eyes and it makes the players, their parents, and the staff in the academy realise the quality of work that we are doing, because when you hear the name Exeter City it doesn’t perhaps sound as sexy as Manchester City. “However, that doesn’t mean that Matt Grimes isn’t as good or better than players of his age at the top Premier League clubs. I know the FA have sent their scouts to watch him 10 to 15 times last season and I don’t think he is a million miles away from and England call-up for under-19s or under-20s. “I watched England under-19s the other week and there was a central midfielder from Southampton there, Harrison Reed. He played against us in the Under-21 Premier League Cup at St James’s Park last season. Harrison is an excellent young player and I think he has made his debut at Southampton, and I’m only judging him on one game, but that night Matt Grimes was head and shoulders the better player. “Grimesy was excellent at the start of last season and he adapted to first-team football very quickly. However, somebody that can look like a better prospect than Matt Grimes at 13, 14 or 15 years of age might not adapt to first team football quite as quickly as he did. So we do need to temper everybody’s expectations but, on the flipside, we definitely have players who are ahead, for their age, of where Matt Grimes was at that point in time. “I am very excited about the future though and about the quality we have. We will continue to strive to improve it further and produce more players who can step in and do what Grimesy has done.” http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-21152831-detail/story.html#ixzz3Lazv24Lu Tisdale on how far he can go: "He definitely has the ability to go up the leagues and play at a very good level. I wouldn't like to say at this stage what that will be but, arguably, he's the best young player we've produced at Exeter since I've been here." "Players progress at different speeds and you have to look at what they have in their game naturally and then also at their application and their determination to improve themselves. For someone who's 18 and playing regularly in League Two, he's technically very good and has a very good understanding of the game. "Instinctively, he makes good decisions most of the time and, coupled with that, he's determined to do well. He's not phased by the pressure and stress of playing and, most importantly, he takes on information very well. "Ultimately, there will be a bit of luck involved like coming across the right manager and being injury-free, but there's no doubt about his potential." That last sentence is the most interesting to me. Of all the kids who get signed by Premier League clubs, how many end up in the first team? Monk has already shown with the inclusion of Jay Fulton, Mo Barrow & Josh Sheehan in first-team outings that he's willing to blood young talent, and if reports are to believed (and we are to sign Grimes) that's most definitely something which will have worked in our favour. What about on the field though? He's made fifty-nine appearances for Exeter, fifty-five of which have been in the league, and he's managed to score four goals, as well as collecting six assists. A goal contribution every six-point-something games is very promising for a young central midfielder in League Two, that's for sure. Sadly, a lack of stats for League Two means I can't have a look at anything else numbers-y. Another feather in his cap is that he won Exeter's Player of the Year last season, and at the tender age of eighteen that was no mean feat. He's also been rewarded for his impressive performances with selection for the England U20 squad, and after getting his first call up in August he's now featured three times for the national youth side. I'm all for signing youth, and in giving Exeter the best part of two million I'd say the club clearly view Grimes as a player who can make an impact. This is furthered by the fact that Exeter wanted Grimes to remain on loan until the end of the season, but the Swans rejected that notion as they want him training with the first team, with a view to making a mark before the end of the season. If he does indeed force his way into the first team before next summer, we'll have got ourselves an absolute bargain.
He would fit in with Monk's desire to have young ambitious players and an area where there will be an opportunity in the not too distant future. Leo Baptistao, Nelson Oliveira and Joel Campbell all of whom we are being linked to could have similar ambitions and be the striker we need to sign in January.
Michu to Crystal Palace? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Oliveira on Swans radar Swansea, Latest news update: 4 hours 9 minutes ago Swansea have been heavily linked with a loan move for out-of-favour Benfica striker Nelson Oliveira in the January window. Swansea are set to lose Wilfried Bony in January as he heads off to represent the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations. Garry Monk has made clear his intention to bring in players in January with a striker and a full-back high on his list of priorities. Oliveira has struggled to get any game time at Benfica this term and could be allowed to leave if a deal can be struck between the two outfits. Portuguese publication Ojogo revealed that Swansea expressed an interest over the summer but could now return to secure a short loan with the option to buy at the end of the campaign. Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/swansea-city/oliveira-on-swans-radar-1752081.html?
