We may not have spent a penny as of yet, but our post-relegation transfer policy is there for all to see: bring in young, promising players with the aim of developing them into first-team regulars – then sell them on for a hefty profit!
Written by @JoshKilmister
Okay, that last point is yet to be proven, but I’d imagine that’s the plan.
Sunderland’s 19-year-old forward Joel Asoro is the latest youngster to be linked with a move to the Liberty Stadium, while the signing of out-of-contract Yan Dhanda and Jordi Govea from high profile clubs have added to an academy already jampacked with talent.
Dhanda, a highly-rated forward from Liverpool’s academy, impressed Jurgen Klopp in their pre-season training camp in Spain last summer but felt that a move away from Merseyside was necessary to kick on from an impressive career in youth football.
Govea is a young fullback who graduated through Real Madrid’s academy under former boss Zinedine Zidane. Eligible to play for Spain, he is Ecuadorian by birth and is close friends with Swans’ winger Jefferson Montero, who he says talked him in to joining him on SA1.
While the role these new signings will play in our Championship campaign this season is yet to be seen, the club is clearly making positive movements to ensure that our multi-million-pound academy doesn’t go to waste.
One of the key frustrations among many last season was that, even on our bleakest days, we refused to show faith in our academy products. Despite the success they had at youth level, despite the lack of spark in our first team, you never felt that we were willing to give them a chance.
The only exception to the rule seemed to be Connor Roberts, though even he had to wait far too long to make his mark.
I am of the opinion that Dhanda and Govea, as well as Asoro if he does sign, will find out soon enough what an exciting time this could be for Swansea City.
Of course it is still early days, but with Graham Potter at the forefront of their development, you can’t help but feel that the sky is the limit for this very talented group of young and hungry players.
Our ambition to take advantage of what has grown to become one of the country’s best academies has been pushed aside in recent years, with Premier League survival first on the agenda. And while the risk of a back-to-back relegation will still be in the minds of those in charge at the club, they’ll also know that being in the second tier gives us far more flexibility when it comes to taking risks with our younger players.
George Byers, Oli McBurnie, Adnan Maric, Dan James… these are all names who we could well be seeing line up for us in the coming months – and it’s about time, too.
