Yannick arrives and Swans target at least three in January

Swansea City announced the signing of Yannick Bolasie yesterday on a short term deal as the rough and tumble of the Championship further decimates Michael Duff’s squad.

After Josh Ginnelly was ruled out with a season ending injury a couple of months ago against QPR it left the Swans even shorter of quality in attack; a problem further exacerbated by the injury to Mykola Kukharevych and red card suspensions for Liam Cullen and Charlie Patino (albeit one game each).

There is little in the way of backup to the Swans chosen front three with Kyrell Wilson from the academy drafted in for bench duties in the draw against Hull City on Saturday.

So Bolasie will provide another option and one who can operate all along the front line with his experience also proving crucial amongst a squad which is still relatively young when compared to its Championship rivals.

All eyes now move towards January and where Duff and the board feel the squad needs strengthening. There are glaring holes, mainly in midfield and attack and according to Wales Online these areas are the main priorities.

Goalkeeper and defence has numbers (quality in the latter could be questioned?) but it is clear to see that the Swansea midfield has been overrun far too many times this season with Hull on Saturday a case in point.

That is why Duff is reportedly wanting a “hard nut” central midfield player to protect Matt Grimes who it is felt has been bullied at times with little protection around him.

And whilst forwards were signed in the summer, the acquisitions couldn’t be described as an overwhelming success. Indeed the trio of Yates, Lowe and Cullen have only just reached over double figures in near 20 games. It isn’t a strike rate that will worry defences around the country for sure.

Certainly not when compared to the hit rates of Joel Piroe and Michael Obafemi so a forward is something the Swans would like to add alongside further pace down the sides.

As we saw with Jaden Philogene on Saturday and Stephy Mavididi for Leicester there is sometimes little you can do against raw pace and power and the Swans have lacked genuine speed since the days of Jefferson Montero and, in his hay day, Nathan Dyer.

The problem for Duff is that unless one of the current loanees drops out of the squad, the club can’t make further loan additions which means January is likely to see permanent deals rather than temporary.

Harrison Ashby could go back to Newcastle if his injury is to keep him out for some time but Swansea would need to initiate that move with the Magpies not intending to recall the player.