Well, the transfer seemed to drag on for long enough but finally on Wednesday night the Swans confirmed that Gylfi Sigurdsson had returned to the club and that Ben Davies and Michel Vorm had moved on and were now Tottenham players.
It does seem to have dragged on for many weeks this particular one especially when you think that Gylfi was at one point reported to have all but signed for Crystal Palace but finally this evening we saw the picture that we wanted when Gylfi held up the white shirt at the Liberty to signal the start of his four year contract with the club,
The return of a player who had such a positive impact when he signed in the January 2012 transfer window is a big boost in my view for the club as we know his creativity and goal scoring ability is just the kind of thing that we need to make us a stronger attacking force? Some may tell you that losing two players in the process is a blow but to start with here let's look at the positives.
Gylfi for me was the difference that first season between staying up and the comfortable mid table finish that we ended in. We were on track for safety when he signed but we looked a much better side when he finally got here and the second half of the season was more successful than the first half without a doubt. I am definitely excited at seeing Sigurdsson back in a Swans shirt again and we know that he can provide the ammunition for Wilf and Gomis to knock the goals in on a regular basis.
At the same time I am sad to see Ben leave. I suspect I was not the only Swans fan who was worried when Neil Taylor was stretchered off so early in our second season in the Premier League but Ben came in and was a revelation during his two years of being almost ever present in the team. To see someone come in so young and hit the ground running at this level tells you he has a real talent and I hope that continues to develop at Tottenham. Thanks for the memories definitely Ben and good luck for the future.
Michel Vorm's departure I think was inevitable the moment we signed Lucasz Fabianski. I could never see him playing second fiddle to a new keeper who was always designed to be our Number 1 choice and I do understand that he believes he will get more first team opportunities at Tottenham than he will at Swansea. Vorm was outstanding in our first season at this level but for me he never really captured the form he showed that season again but he should go with our thanks for all the points he helped earn during that first season.
Whatever the ins and outs of the deal are I believe we have got in a top quality player who I didn't think would wear a Swans shirt again and that has to be a good thing? Welcome home Gylfi, good luck Michel and Ben.