Swans boss Russell Martin has spoken for the first time about Ethan Laird leaving Swansea City as Bournemouth stepped in and again collared another swans star in gazzumping fashion this week. Many clubs seem keen to prey on the swans hard work, Bournemouth are never far away from Swansea City’s backs looking over their shoulder for the next decent player.
However, Russell Martin was philosophical about the decision but clearly taken by complete surprise by Lairds recall to old Trafford because Bournemouth offered more cash for his loan spell than Swansea. What is also annoying of course is that Manchester United never at one point contacted the swans to see where their financial situation lay. The career it seems was well and truly pulled from underneath the swans by Manchester United.
That’s our opinion, Martin was more careful.
"Very disappointed. Disappointed that we didn’t know much about it, or anything about it," Martin said when we asked about Laird.” It’s not a position we were looking to recruit in. The lack of notice was a bit of an issue, but it is what it is. That’s the issue with loan players, when you have a loan player and he does well. He’s spent a year with us at MK Dons and Swansea and I think he’s grown incredibly in that time. He’s been a really good performer for us this season, his first season in the Championship. But his parent club have decided it’s better for him to go and play in a slightly different position with a different club in this league who are fighting hard for promotion. That’s their prerogative. That is the danger you have with loan players. We’re gutted, on a personal level, we get on really well. It’s not a decision that was driven by him. He’s not looked to go, it was brought to him by the club. He’ll be a loss to us on and off the pitch. He has an infectious personality and he’s had some brilliant performances, but we are now in a position where we need to replace that, and it’s probably become a priority for us because we’ve lost a player who was playing week in week out. The rest of the plan outside that hasn't changed in terms of where we want to add. Hopefully we’ll have some news on that very soon."
We expect some signings in from MK Dons, definitely Fisher who has been sorted away from the fee for some time, and Matt O’Riley in a more attacking role. This has been reported for weeks now, and if the swans concluded their business by securing James McAtee on loan from Manchester City they would be incredibly happy with that.