Swansea City business is making progress and as we have stated before other clubs, agents and players brought in are all singing the praises of Sporting Director, Richard Montague. He is making a real impact and has during negotiations secured the type of player the Swans desperately needed last season.

There is still a lot of noise around the likes of Jerry Yates, Jay Fulton, Andy Fisher and Florian Bianchini with the Swans willing to negotiate permanent moves or loans for Fulton and Bianchini. Yates is a different proposition with the Swans already managing contacts and inquiries for him. You can now add Fisher to that as well, he got some proper recognition last season at St Johnstone. What we can also reveal on these last two is that the Swans haven’t totally turned round on their desire to sell them, Fisher and Fulton have a year left on their contracts.

So, let’s deal with them in turn.

Jerry Yates has a year left to run on his contract with a basic income of around £11,500 a week we have now being told. Any other matters we are not aware of. Simple maths state over the coming year or so he will earn in the region of half a million pounds before his contract ends. With that a guaranteed income before tax. The issue for Jerry isn’t that the Swans would let him go if the price is right it’s more about where he goes and what they will pay him. It’s highly unlikely he would get that type of salary in League One and potentially clubs in the Championship would not go that high for a player of his ability.

However, we know there’s been contact and the Swans if given the choice will most certainly let him go. They also are seeing him as a potential squad player next season.

The same can be said about Jay Fulton, his salary is more than Yates and that has been an issue for him when his name crops up at Swansea. Under Russell Martin it seemed for whatever reason he wasn’t wanted at the club, he was made available but any clubs interested soon backed off. Barnsley were one. They couldn’t and wouldn’t get anywhere near his salary demands. Jay had nothing to lose, he had earned a big contract when Steve Cooper was at the club so he just sat back and took the dollar. It’s a fact now the Swans would like him off the payroll, a loan with a part payment is better than nothing at all. His contract runs for another year.

Florian Bianchini is another matter. We first broached his availability a while back, weirdly as a hook for Wales On Line journalist, Tom Coleman to bite. He did, but now his availability for a loan move is preferred to another season at the club. The feeling is it will do his confidence a world of good after a pretty average season last time around. He has three years to run on his contract.

the final contender is Andrew Fisher, again there have been inquiries and the belief is he could find himself at another club this summer. The problem with him has been his errors when taking the number one shirt at the Swans. He isn’t considered a threat to Larry Vigouroux and really would fare better elsewhere. Back up to Larry is the issue, a few keepers have moved on so do the Swans stick with Fisher or recruit back up this summer ?

Bar Bianchini all of these players are in the final year of their contracts.

We did say that business would slow up for players coming in,and that’s very much the case. We do know where the Swans are looking to strengthen, and it’s no secret that outfield players in positions of defence, midfield and up front are very much being scouted. The discovery of players falls down to Adam Worth the clubs Global Head of Analytics and Recruitment and James Morgan-Snowley once of Rangers and now Head Of Scouting. Adam is the person who locates the players we have seen coming in recently. Both he and James take responsibility for this, it is they who uncover players for Sporting Director, Richard Montague to then contact and get over the line. Montague is very much the deal breaker, he doesn’t source players. That’s one hard job, your credibility as an employee who sources players for Montague to manage will always be where you are judged.

Players mentioned recently are wide of the mark, players at premier league clubs on thirty five thousand pounds a week after being a purchase in the millions have and will always be reviewed. It’s not that the Swans aren’t in the market, it’s more about value. As an example, Lewis O’Brien had an excellent history, a flair player at Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield. A midfield combatant with the desire to get forwards and create goals and pressure. He was worth bringing into the club despite the costs involved. The most expensive loan player definitely since relegation from the Premier League. The Swans have put their thoughts forward to Nottingham Forest but today, as it stands there is slim hope of Lewis returning. And that’s what the club are doing looking at - value and ability to make their mark be they a loan or permanent signing.

Random players plucked out of the air of late are not going to be in any form of running. They are a big gamble with almost bank breaking consequences. That’s our round up today, this is where the Swans are at as we approach July and what will be another four weeks of closing down deals before the big kick off.

Artwork by Swansea Independent