The January 2026 Transfer Window Thread

[sit_down_jack]

Don't agree - this is like looking at an issue from both sides and drawing different conclusions.
We as a club are very wary of doing business in January because there are desperate players in the market and prices can be unrealistically high.
I agree with this 100% as a buying club - as a general rule the best business is done "off season"
However - as a selling club - it might be the perfect time to relieve a desperate club of more money than they want to spend. Literally the desperation is the leverage.
Burnley really resemble that description and have a premier league budget. If they made an offer of (lets say) 20 million. That is not a vast sum at the top table - but a massive squad building investment for a club like ours.

That’s a fair point, we could get a bit more if they are desperate but I don’t see there being a whole lot of difference between what they’ll pay now and what someone else (not necessarily a PL team) might pay if he gets 20+ goals this season.

Even if we were offered good money in the next few days, I don’t like the idea of trying to find a reliable source of goals at the end of January, especially because Vipotnik is the only one who is scoring consistently at the moment.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

I don’t understand that last sentence.

I mean we have absolutely no idea whether this report is true or not so it’s not a comment on this specific situation, but there are many reasons why a player may choose a club. We are certainly nowhere near big enough to make it a given.

Say this is true, just for purpose of example, perhaps a 20 year old may want to remain close to home in the South East. Perhaps he wants to develop in senior football and backs himself to get a big move after proving himself rather than wait in an under 21s environment.
There have been lots of occasions where we’ve thought it better that a player stays with us for longer before making a move to a bigger club. It applies the other way round as well.

Nothing personal, but no one else believes us to be anywhere near as big a draw as some on here seem to. It’s why everyone expresses shock when players go to Stoke, as a recent example, rather than us. We have not been well managed for years now (managed as a club that is) and people take notice of such things.

It was a pretty simple comment. If we really wanted the player he would join us over Stevenage in all likelihood, all things being even. If we did want him that much we'd also outbid them and Sutton would take the decision out of his hands.

We're no big draw but we are a comfortable championship club while Stevenage are very small club (albeit riding the Crest of a wave currently). Stoke City they aren't.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

That’s a fair point, we could get a bit more if they are desperate but I don’t see there being a whole lot of difference between what they’ll pay now and what someone else (not necessarily a PL team) might pay if he gets 20+ goals this season.

Even if we were offered good money in the next few days, I don’t like the idea of trying to find a reliable source of goals at the end of January, especially because Vipotnik is the only one who is scoring consistently at the moment.

What if his form falls off a cliff and he has a number of games like the one last Saturday?

I suspect that we would sell if we receive a very good offer as I think the club would worry that he has been outplaying himself so far. Plus I’m not sure he’s the right fit long term for the Matos style of play.

Plus our main motivation seems to be increasing profitability and this would be a huge net gain.

I share your concern btw - I’m talking about what the club may do rather than what I would do.

I think we need a striker irrespective and if he goes we need two. That’s a hell of an ask in a few days.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

It was a pretty simple comment. If we really wanted the player he would join us over Stevenage in all likelihood, all things being even. If we did want him that much we'd also outbid them and Sutton would take the decision out of his hands.

We're no big draw but we are a comfortable championship club while Stevenage are very small club (albeit riding the Crest of a wave currently). Stoke City they aren't.

I’m not so sure.

First team at Stevenage vs bench at best here. Plus Stevenage is far closer to Sutton. Depends on his priorities.

And clubs can never take the decision away from players.

 

[sit_down_jack]

What if his form falls off a cliff and he has a number of games like the one last Saturday?

I suspect that we would sell if we receive a very good offer as I think the club would worry that he has been outplaying himself so far. Plus I’m not sure he’s the right fit long term for the Matos style of play.

Plus our main motivation seems to be increasing profitability and this would be a huge net gain.

I share your concern btw - I’m talking about what the club may do rather than what I would do.

I think we need a striker irrespective and if he goes we need two. That’s a hell of an ask in a few days.

In terms of overplaying himself, he has been clinical and is over-performing metrics (XG in particular) but I also think his low XG is equally down to the type of shots he takes. So many of his chances are from low probability areas that I think it skews the stats somewhat.

I totally agree with you on him not being quite right for this style of play, as much as I like Vipotnik, it does feel like we’ll cash in on him this summer to allow for someone who is a bit more of a presser.

To me, selling him now would be risking getting dragged deeper into the relegation battle but as you say, the club will sell if they get a high enough offer.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

In terms of overplaying himself, he has been clinical and is over-performing metrics (XG in particular) but I also think his low XG is equally down to the type of shots he takes. So many of his chances are from low probability areas that I think it skews the stats somewhat.

I totally agree with you on him not being quite right for this style of play, as much as I like Vipotnik, it does feel like we’ll cash in on him this summer to allow for someone who is a bit more of a presser.

To me, selling him now would be risking getting dragged deeper into the relegation battle but as you say, the club will sell if they get a high enough offer.

My biggest niggling worry is that the club think we’re safe.

I don’t think we’ll do down btw but we’re certainly not safe yet. We thought that in the season we came down from the PL.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

I’m not so sure.

First team at Stevenage vs bench at best here. Plus Stevenage is far closer to Sutton. Depends on his priorities.

And clubs can never take the decision away from players.

Stevenage are the best they've ever been in their history this season but the chances are this wont last and they'll fall off and level out. They arent a Huddersfield, Barnsley etc so for a guy of 20 whos never played in the football league, joining a championship club with Premier league training facilties is a massive opportunity. If it doesn't work out he can always drop down a division or 2 in a year or 2 and still be very young.

If we genuinely matched the Stevenages bid I'm confident he'd join us but doubt we were seriously interested.

This is not taking into account the guys personality of course because no one knows anything about it.

 

[sit_down_jack]

My biggest niggling worry is that the club think we’re safe.

I don’t think we’ll do down btw but we’re certainly not safe yet. We thought that in the season we came down from the PL.

We are definitely not safe, we’ve got to start putting our chances away to get to that point. Oxford have done some pretty good business and Portsmouth aren’t a terrible side, West Brom and Blackburn have good players, plus Norwich won’t go down. We’re nowhere near safe yet.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2016615316105695721

 

[Swans Jack]

My biggest niggling worry is that the club think we’re safe.

I don’t think we’ll do down btw but we’re certainly not safe yet. We thought that in the season we came down from the PL.

4 Wins and a Draw. To hit 50. Well do it

 

[Swans Jack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2016615316105695721

Phew

 

[Nottinghillbilly]

I don’t understand that last sentence.

I mean we have absolutely no idea whether this report is true or not so it’s not a comment on this specific situation, but there are many reasons why a player may choose a club. We are certainly nowhere near big enough to make it a given.

Say this is true, just for purpose of example, perhaps a 20 year old may want to remain close to home in the South East. Perhaps he wants to develop in senior football and backs himself to get a big move after proving himself rather than wait in an under 21s environment.
There have been lots of occasions where we’ve thought it better that a player stays with us for longer before making a move to a bigger club. It applies the other way round as well.

Nothing personal, but no one else believes us to be anywhere near as big a draw as some on here seem to. It’s why everyone expresses shock when players go to Stoke, as a recent example, rather than us. We have not been well managed for years now (managed as a club that is) and people take notice of such things.

.

Total bollox, as per.

Those that have played the game at the elite level know that the key attraction is all about the Club's offering:
- Training environs
- Club heritage, playing ethos and style
- Coaching calibre
The location is a bonus ball, and our bonus ball is a proper bonus:

A day in the life of an elite player in Swansea in their penthouse pad on the beach:
- Wake up overlooking the sunrise
- Training at fabulous Fairwood's elite facilities
- Get home mid-pm with a packed lunch and evening meal
- Enjoy sumptuously healthy grub on the terrace overlooking the sunset
- Along with gorgeous WAG / dog to walk on beach
- Rinse, repeat

- No time/appetite for the booze 'n bright lights

We are blessed - both Club offering and locale - which the vast majority truly appreciate, esp the likes of Laudrup (totally immersed himself in the Marina locale, as above), and all the big-time loanees from big-time Landan clubs

Some grumpy ol' bitter folk need to get some proper perspective, and 'see' our Swansea appeal, eyes wide open. FFS

.

 

[Nottinghillbilly]

Been told ('sources') that the nonsense clickbait posted about Ishe being recalled by Chelsea was just that - simple nonsense, by simple folk, creating simply false nonsense, as per.

Ongoing desperate measures by desperate made-up merchants is unacceptable nowadays, surely.

Ishe was nailed on to play as 1st pick at Strasbourg until Ben Chillwell moved across, 11th hour.
We did well to snap him up, bang in that 11th hour fair play. Excellent recruitment proactive intervention

By all accounts totally enjoying his time here, learning the ropes from master LB, JT.
And now back on the grass........

.

 

[crazedbison]

.

Total bollox, as per.

Those that have played the game at the elite level know that the key attraction is all about the Club's offering:
- Training environs
- Club heritage, playing ethos and style
- Coaching calibre
The location is a bonus ball, and our bonus ball is a proper bonus:

A day in the life of an elite player in Swansea in their penthouse pad on the beach:
- Wake up overlooking the sunrise
- Training at fabulous Fairwood's elite facilities
- Get home mid-pm with a packed lunch and evening meal
- Enjoy sumptuously healthy grub on the terrace overlooking the sunset
- Along with gorgeous WAG / dog to walk on beach
- Rinse, repeat

- No time/appetite for the booze 'n bright lights

We are blessed - both Club offering and locale - which the vast majority truly appreciate, esp the likes of Laudrup (totally immersed himself in the Marina locale, as above), and all the big-time loanees from big-time Landan clubs

Some grumpy ol' bitter folk need to get some proper perspective, and 'see' eyes wide open. FFS

.

With all due respect, many domestic players will take a pass on us strictly due to the distance from the major population centers in which they and their family/friends generally reside. This is not remotely a new one for the club in terms of domestic recruitment hurdles.

Foreign players, like all others, will generally be looking at similar competing offers when considering clubs. If there isn't much between the offers financially, would your contention be that the distance/time we are from a proper international airport doesn't matter to foreign players considering offers from, let's say, us and someone like Watford/QPR/West Brom or within/near their own country?

Was this not also a point of contention in the possible hiring of Kim Hellberg, or at least one the media reported on?

I get that the rest matter, but I think it's often too easy to overlook how important things like proximity to one's family/friends is to players. Players these days often have more of a choice where they end up than they previously did and the unfortunate reality is that, for most players, Swansea isn't a place to which they're itching to move. Certainly there are always exceptions.

 

[Londonlisa2001]

.

Total bollox, as per.

Those that have played the game at the elite level know that the key attraction is all about the Club's offering:
- Training environs
- Club heritage, playing ethos and style
- Coaching calibre
The location is a bonus ball, and our bonus ball is a proper bonus:

A day in the life of an elite player in Swansea in their penthouse pad on the beach:
- Wake up overlooking the sunrise
- Training at fabulous Fairwood's elite facilities
- Get home mid-pm with a packed lunch and evening meal
- Enjoy sumptuously healthy grub on the terrace overlooking the sunset
- Along with gorgeous WAG / dog to walk on beach
- Rinse, repeat

- No time/appetite for the booze 'n bright lights

We are blessed - both Club offering and locale - which the vast majority truly appreciate, esp the likes of Laudrup (totally immersed himself in the Marina locale, as above), and all the big-time loanees from big-time Landan clubs

Some grumpy ol' bitter folk need to get some proper perspective, and 'see' eyes wide open. FFS

.

I think you have missed my point. Unsurprisingly.

If a young player has ambitions to play at a high level (higher than us), those ambitions may be better served by playing in League 1 for 18 months rather than playing in our under 23s for 18 months with the odd appearance from the bench if we have injuries. Simple as that.

Players who make too big a step too quickly are at risk of becoming lost for a few years before eventually being loaned back out or transferred to a lower club. Those that step up more gradually tend to be able to test themselves at a higher level (initially) which can aid their development.

And Stevenage happen to have particularly good training facilities for a club of their size although that is besides the point in the case.