Burnley’s Scott Twine and Swansea City – examples of Twitter rumours spreading

A quick look at Swansea City Twitter timelines yesterday and you would have seen plenty of discussion around Burnley, Scott Twine and a transfer move that also involved Michael Obafemi.

As per an article on here yesterday morning from Phil (Transfer window latest – Swans decide their next moves | Planet Swans) rumours of transfers can spread very quickly and it is only 2/3 days since the name of Twine was spreading through the Plymouth Argyle Twitter feeds.

Twine signed for the Clarets back in the summer on a four year deal for an undisclosed fee.   He signed from MK Dons.  At the time Twine said Twine said: “I am buzzing. I have definitely made the right decision joining Burnley.

“I spoke in depth with the manager and his plans are exciting, it was a no brainer for me to sign. I can’t wait to get started and it feels like the right place for me.”

Twine’s move came just twelve months after he signed for MK Dons from Swindon Town  – a MK Dons side that at the time was of course managed by Russell Martin who said at the time “It is a big signing for us – not only because of the ability he possesses but because of how he suits our style of play. Credit to Liam and the Chairman for making this deal happen because it is an exciting deal for all of us.”

23 year old Twine has not yet made his mark at Burnley with just four substitute appearances for the club totalling just thirty minutes of action for the club although there have been little suggestions anywhere that he is about to leave Turf Moor for more game time, even on a loan basis.

That said he has spent some time on the injury sidelines after picking up a hip injury early on and he remains very much in the plans of Clarets boss Vincent Kompany:  “I think the way his football brain ticks, he probably sees gaps and places where he could have been and have an impact and he sees himself within this team. He has to be patient and in terms of his learning it is a good learning as well. it is not a big injury like a cruciate ligament or a broken ankle. It is not something he is going to carry for the rest of his career. it is a learning phase as well because you are going to have to deal with these moments in your career.”

The links between Burnley and Michael Obafemi have been clear since the summer although it’s difficult to see what the player could now add to a side that is five points clear at the top of the table and fourteen points clear of the play off positions.   This is a side heading towards the Premier League next season and I have to say I am not sure what Obafemi could add to that promotion challenge.  Other than additional wages.

The link with Twine appears to be generated from a few things

1. The continued links between Obafemi and Burnley
2. The volume of tweets that suggested that he was going on loan to Plymouth and maybe someone suggesting that the Swans were a more attractive alternative
3. The fact that Twine was signed by MK Dons by Russell Martin
4. Hope.   Twine is a quality player and no doubt he would add something to us that we don’t already have.

However, it is easy to see a position where Burnley may decide that he will benefit from building his career with game time elsewhere and a loan deal with another club could make perfect sense.  Whether that is something that would interest the Swans, whether it could pave a deal for Obafemi or whether its even anything other than a Twitter rumour is open to conjecture.   And I would have to say very doubtful at this point in time.

For me now this is nothing more than a discussion point that started on Twitter and gained momentum.  Giving it column inches on here is nothing more than just adding an opinion to the discussions and certainly not an endorsement that it is about to happen or, indeed, if it is any level of possibility.

Twine was an unused substitute yesterday as Burnley progressed in the FA Cup with a 4-2 win at Bournemouth.

The transfer window is open and sometimes 2+2 can certainly equal more than four as far as rumours go but if enough people say it eventually it becomes a fact.  Whether it is one or not.

File this one under “would love to see it happen but can’t see it happening”

Oh to be wrong!