Another two players have left Swansea City this week as midfielder Roque Mesa and Kenji Gorre have joined Sevilla and Nacional respectively.
23 year-old winger Kenji Gorre was offered a new contract by the Swans this Summer, but he has opted to join C.D. Nacional, who play in Portugal’s top division.
I want to take this opportunity to thank @swansofficial for all the experiences and memories I have had at the club. Especially making my premier league debut. All the staff, players and mostly the supporters for always believing in me. It will never be forgotten. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/gjdjEQQvFa
— Kenji Gorré (@KenjiGorre) June 26, 2018
A number of fans commented last month about Gorre’s future, with many questioning the club’s decision to offer him a new contract when it never really looked like he was a player who would make it to the first team. Given his age, a player who turns 24 in September, it was best for all parties for the player to move on and find regular first-team football elsewhere.
I'm glad Kenji Gorre has gone, he was wasting his time here. Have more respect for someone who wants to play first team football rather than rot in the reserves and picking up a big pay cheque
— Steven Carroll (@StevenSOS1987) June 26, 2018
There’s a difference of opinion on fellow under-23s midfielder George Byers though. Swans fans are hopeful that he signs a new contract and earns a first-team place in the Championship. He was one of six under-23 players who have been offered new deals. The others are Aaron Lewis, midfielders Jack Evans and Keiran Evans and striker Botti Biabi, but there’s been no news as yet as to where their futures lie.
Roque Mesa’s move to La Liga side Sevilla has been expected for a number of weeks now. The former Las Palmas midfielder arrived with plenty of promise and potential last Summer, but he failed to deliver. Was it all down to the player though? Or was he not helped by the current situation at the club. Our former style of football, something that Mesa would have fitted to like a glove, has now been completely lost, and the environment he arrived at was far from the perfect one to develop a successful career in the Premier League.
Thank you very much for all the support while i’ve been a swan. I’m sure that Swansea will return where it deserves. I wish you lots of luck! ⚫️⚪️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/WORN2oqs9S
— Roque Mesa (@RoqueM26) June 27, 2018
If he was signed when Brendan Rodgers or Michael Laudrup was here, then you’d imagine that it could have worked out a whole lot better for everyone, but we were in a state where we were simply doing anything we could just to try and avoid relegation from the Premier League. We couldn’t afford to be patient with a Spaniard who clearly needed time to adjust to a new league.
Mesa probably would have flourished under Laudrup or Rodgers…but we gave up those football principles. #swans
— Ryan Thomas (@wardiaz85) June 27, 2018
With Graham Potter now in charge at the Liberty Stadium, a manager hired to rekindle our old ‘Swansea Way’, it could have been the perfect opportunity for Mesa to kick-start his Swansea City career, but it’s proved to be far too late after he enjoyed a half-season loan spell back in his home country with Sevilla.
Swansea City say he’s left for an ‘undisclosed fee’ – as usual, but sources in Spain say that the transfer fee is worth around £8m, £3m less than the £11m we paid for him.
Not too long ago Mesa would have been the ideal Swansea player. Sadly he came at a time when managers had no interest in playing passing football. Hope he finds his feet again in Spain. https://t.co/ilYpTVvLiD
— Guto Llewelyn (@GutoLlewelyn) June 27, 2018
Mesa and Gorre join the likes of Leon Britton, Angel Rangel, Ki Sung Yueng and Lucasz Fabianski who have also left the club this Summer.
Speculation also suggests that the club are looking to offload defender Federico Fernandez as well as striker Wilfried Bony to reduce the wage bill. Jordan Ayew and Andre Ayew are also thought to be keen on leaving after our relegation to the Championship.
The Swans are keen to significantly reduce the wage bill ahead of the new 2018/19 Championship season, with new signings coming in on wages a lot less than those who are leaving.