With nine goals in some thirty games this season, Brandon Thomas-Asante of Salford City has become a target of numerous championship clubs. Swansea City seem to be leading the way at this early stage though.

Not seen as the total answer in the swans desire to recruit a striker for next season, after all the swans do have academy options in Jaden Forrester and Tarrelle Whittaker, both of whom are in crucial stages of their development. With Brandon he wouldn’t be seen as an immediate first team option, his goal return isn’t overwhelming, and the twenty three year old is also at a crucial stage of his career

Starting out at MK Dons as a twelve year old he remained there for eleven years. Featuring at numerous levels for his boyhood club he chose to move on to Ebbsfleet United after surprisingly failing to impress at Swindon. However since his arrival at Salford he has come of age, players do mature and add to their craft via their own learning and development, and Brandon seems to be doing this. He is eager to achieve at the highest level he can, and this season has scored nine goals. In previous seasons whilst finding his feet in the north west he retuned eleven goals over sixty two games for the ‘ammies’

However those stats don’t tell the whole story, he chips in with assists and has a serious turn of pace. Not only that his strength on the ball is a massive plus. Here’s an ELF scouting report on him earlier on this season.

Thomas-Asante is an effective ball carrier, especially attacking space as showcased in his many counter-attacks. With his pace and agility, Thomas-Asante is able to bypass opponents to move into the final third, drawing defenders towards him, leaving space for teammates in areas beyond. Thomas-Asante has clearly taken his opportunity in the second half of this season. With his output for Salford catching the attention of many baring in mind in August he was starting out in non-league football. Next season will be for certain important for Thomas-Asante to maintain his output figures and team this with consistency. With the attributes to succeed at this level, Salford can be seen as an ideal place to continue his development. To take a raw talent was a risk for a club looking to continue their promotions streak, but it looks to have been the correct choice to do so.

It’s clear that Brandon isn’t anywhere near the solution for the swans up front, he would come to Swansea to further his career and provide more positive back up to Joel Piroe and Michael Obafemi. With Morgan Whittaker and Liam Cullen hardly safe in their Swansea future he is a far better option than both on the face of it this season.

The swans may well be out in front in their interest of this layer but dreams of Salford getting a windfall are far away. It’s hardly likely Swansea would offer anything more than £250,000 tops, and that would be pushing it.

Photographs licensed from Reuters