Max Lowe has joined Nottingham Forest on a season long loan from Sheffield United after being told he wasn’t in the clubs plans this season. Swansea City were genuinely linked to Lowe with interest in Jake Bidwell being shown by numerous clubs.

Swans manager Russell Martin is very keen to sign a quick and agile defender to fit in to his strategy at Swansea, although Bidwell has played exceptionally well this season he doesn’t possess the pace Martin requires. With Ethan Laird operating on the right side of defence at the moment, Bidwell is more than capable in his wing back role on the left. With Connor Roberts possibly four weeks away from a return, some are asking if another defender is required ? Especially with Ryan Manning a competent utility defender, and Joel Latibeaudiere already having minutes in a variety of defensive positions this season. However, if it’s a specialist defender then you can see why Martin would want another player in.

Ryan Bennett, a pure centre half, with Ben Cabango and Brandon Cooper have all played in the back three this season, and Kyle Naughton is more than capable as well across the right side of defence.

Max Lowe was a legitimate target, but Swansea City’s interest cooled at the demands from the blades - they would want his salary of nearly 15k a week covered plus a fee to secure the loan. That was never going to happen. We understand there are three genuine targets still to come in to Swansea over the coming four days or so, one is a striker who we are told is “ An established and respected front man in the mould that Swansea desire” Again though with Morgan Whittaker and Joel Piroe firing regularly up front for the swans, and Kyle Jospeh being sent out on loan the same could be said for attacking players. Especially with Jamal Lowe also in contention for a starting place this season.

Any players coming in now must be better than the swans have already, that’s better than Piroe, Lowe or Whittaker or better than Laird, Bidwell and Roberts. When it’s looked at like that it will be no mean feat to find any player with that kind ability to come in to Swansea City. Especially with the financial criteria the swans work to. What we do know is Max Lowe is off the list, and to be honest if he is surplus to requirements at Sheffield United, then surely his move to Forest won’t bother Russell Martin that much ? Time will tell.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

Swansea City Polls