Michael Reeves
Swansea City are said to be in the hunt for some early transfer window business with a wing back high on the list of requirements with some sources suggesting that we are closing in on one of our targets.
It was reported just before Christmas that the Swans were potentially back in for Rotherham wing back Chiedozie Ogbene who could be one of the few targets that Russell Martin says the Swans are well advanced in talking to.
The Swans boss is widely known for wanting to do his business early in transfer windows and both he and Julian Winter have previously talked about how the planning for one window starts almost as soon as the previous one has finished.
The January window is well known for being a tough one for all football clubs with deals often being completed late on in the window but Martin revealed that the Swans are keen to be dealing as early as possible when he said “I think we’re well advanced in talking to people. We now need to act upon that and try to action that really quickly.
“We know what we need, we know what’s going to help us. Now it’s about trying to get it done as quickly as possible, but it’s never straightforward is it, January.”
The Swans need for a wing back has been obvious for most of this season and it was widely questioned why it did not happen back in the summer. Joel Latibeaudiere has stood in often in the right wing back berth this season whilst Ryan Manning is more accomplished on the left hand side but he seems to be heading for a Swansea City exit having not signed the contract placed in front of him.
Therefore both wing back positions will be causing Martin some concern ahead of the window especially as he appears to have an aversion to using Armstrong Oko-Flex too often despite the obvious potential of the West Ham player.
There has been much speculation already as to the kind of budget that maybe available for the Swans boss during the window although any budget will need to be used wisely especially given the last two “key” signings he has made in transfer windows have not turned into the roaring successes that he would have hoped.
The transfer window will open on Sunday and run for the month of January but the Swans boss is clearly keen on new players coming in and that could easily happen ahead of the visit to Bristol City on the first full weekend of the New Year- we wait and see how this develops in terms of targets but this is a key period and one that Martin simply has to make a success of.
