Swansea City boss Russell Martin is to meet this week with all the players he has question marks over in the hope quick resolutions can be had over their swans futures. Indeed both he and they will want to resolve a way to move them on quickly come the June negotiation window. If that is necessary. June is the month clubs can legally seek out replacements and players can manage their own moves via agents.
Some we have been told may come as a surprise. But we are used to that. That aside that’s look at the permutations and timescales for those we know about.
It makes sense of course with those players who have been out on loan this season. They have only been monitored and haven’t had the opportunity to finalise their Swansea futures to any real extent. There is very little about on the release list or players who will be added to it, but there will be we are certain within the next seven days or so.
Players like Morgan Whittaker will be keen to know their place for next season, as will Liam Cullen and Jordon Garrick. Whittaker has three years to run on his contract and would definitely command a fee if he was transfer listed, there is no way he will be released. The other option is a further loan. Jordon Garrick also has a contract to fulfill, he has a year left, he is in the same boat as Whittaker to an extent but far less valuable. Cullen too has two years left on his contract, but all three present logistical issues for Russell Martin. If he can we think Martin will either loan or move them all on, the only anomaly is Whittaker who has shown some development at Lincoln City.
It’s a tough call.
Morgan Whittaker, swans fans still have faith in him to do well at Swansea
It really does look like Steven Benda could also face an uncertain future. However he has two years to run on his contract, a fee of course is more desirable but swans fans really do believe he too has a future at Swansea City. We do as well.
We know about Ryan Bennett, he has a year to run on his contract as does Jay Fulton, their future involvement at Swansea has been made well known by Martin, but they can sit tight if they wish. That would put a huge dent in the clubs salary plans if both players don’t move on. Of course they can be made available for transfer, but that’s always been the case for Fulton. He has already turned down offers to leave the club. There’s no need to talk to Yan Dhanda or Korey Smith other than to say goodbye, and we expect numerous under 18 and 23 players to also be having a leaving chat too.
In the immediate, the younger players will make no impact on the clubs short term future, that’s the way these things go in professional football, but Liam Walsh will want to know a lot more about his position. Now back from an unsuccessful time at Hull City who have already stated he isn’t in any of their future plans he has two years to run on his contract. You would expect if no club came in for him permanently he would be loaned out again. It seems he really doesn’t seem to fit Martin’s brief. Otherwise why loan him out ?
Based on who Russell Martin wants to bring in these players, if they all leave would go a long way to fulfilling the salaries of players coming in. We believe that’s Plan A for Julian Winter this summer. Martin has already stated he has a list of players in every position, and a sound financial balance of those players coming in will mean players moving out. The more the better. If there are to be some real exciting signings it’s impossible to do that without players leaving. Bids have been turned down for Jamie Paterson in January, a transfer window best forgotten by the club, but with age not on his side we think the club could cash in. If of course the offer is right. Put it this way if the two clubs who displayed an interest in January come back with the same offer he could go. He hasn’t torn up any trees since he came back in to the team in February.
Russell Martin will be very much aware of the clubs financial position, and what he has to do to put the club in the very best place for the new season. The more he moves on the more money he has to play with. If a high calibre player leaves he would expect a decent percentage of the fee gained for reinvestment. But the balancing of the books is a priority for all clubs with little financial input. And that’s the rub we will all have to take as the weeks progress. What we do know is that this week the hard work starts, and the season is only a few days over. These matters need resolving this week, no manager wants his players zooming off around the world before he and they know exactly their position.
And it all starts today, wheel them in then, and let’s get the best we can for Swansea City Mr Martin. We await the results.