Williams wants four more quality signings before window shuts

Luke Williams used his press conference yesterday afternoon as the perfect chance to outline his desire to bring in four more players before the window closes in two weeks time.

The Swans have already secured four signings during this window but Williams remains focused as much on quality as he is quantity as he talked about his belief that the signings need to be ones to help us push on rather than what he described as “stocking fillers” which could easily be seen as a dig at the transfer activity of twelve months ago.

That was a summer window that failed to deliver and so many of the thirteen players that we secured in that window are either no longer at the club or likely to be moved on before the window closes such was the disaster overseen by Andy Coleman and Paul Watson.

Both have told us that they had plans for the summer but with us in the second half of the last month of the window, it is clear from Williams perspective that the plans have not delivered as we expected and we are here looking to do as much business in the last two weeks as we did in the first two and a half months.  Nothing changes despite the hot air of Coleman and Watson.

Target wise it is believed that the Swans are looking at players all over the pitch.   A second goalkeeper has become essential with the injury to Andy Fisher and the name of Carl Rushworth remains very much on the lips of the Swans and a move back for the Brighton keeper appears to look more likely almost every day.   On that front, Williams believes that the presence of Martyn Margetson is always a help in the goalkeeping department when we look at recruitment.

“We’ve got a massive advantage because we’ve got Marge in the building,” said Williams.

“So if you’re a goalkeeper with good quality and you want to go somewhere to improve your game and work with the best people, you’re going to be attracted to Swansea at the moment because we have the main man. I remember Rushy saying the same (as Vigouroux). We will get the right one and that department will be very strong.

“Andrew Fisher is a capable first-team goalkeeper with some level of experience. I don’t think we have that behind Lawrence Vigouroux.”

Elsewhere a defender, midfielder and striker remains the targets for the Swans and Williams with the names of both Noel Milleskog and Adama Sidibeh not going away in the last two of those three positions.   And on the defender front this week a new name was linked with a loan move when Max Johnston’s name was thrown into the frame.

Whether these are three players – in addition to Rushworth – that we can expect to see at the club before the window shuts remains to be seen as the names of Kaide Gordon and Ruben Providence are still in the background and linked with moves to the club during the window.

“I still think four key players that help us to be everything we want us to be – we aren’t looking for stocking fillers,” added Williams.  “I really want us to bring in players to help us move forward in the direction we want to move forward in.

“We know it’s proved to be difficult for us to get signings over the line, that’s the truth of it.

“If it was a case that we weren’t trying then it would be frustration. I would be concerned and alarmed. But the reality is it’s been far more challenging than we anticipated to get players and deals agreed. So we continue and are still on track.

“If you ask Sheffield United they are looking at players getting poached by Premier League clubs, so everyone has their own issues. It’s a challenging market for us and we are doing a lot of work that’s not bearing fruit at times.

“Maybe we learn from this going forward and have a strategy to get players agreed before the window is open, I’m not sure what the answer is. But it’s been challenging.

“It would be wrong of me to tell you to standby (for any signings) at this moment in time. But there’s still lots of conversations being had, lots of back and forths. When we are close I can share that with you.”

This summer’s window was always seen as a huge one for the Swans and whilst the four additions to date appear to be ones that can add value to the squad we are still woefully short in depth and reliant on players who should be no more than squad players at best.   If we can get through the next two weeks with the four quality additions that Williams talks about delivered then the summer window will feel a stronger version than the last but – as Coleman says – they have to be judged on their actions.

The manager seems clear in what he wants, let’s hope his words are heeded by those who matter.