Russell Martin has spoken about his dismay at losing Ben Hamer and Korey Smith at the end of this season due to the clubs financial constraints. Having been an issue of discussion since January birth players leave the club as free agents.

Ben Hamer came to Swansea as a number two keeper but took the number one spot earlier on this season. He has been instrumental in assisting Andy Fisher moving in to the number one jersey for the swans, aiding his development and helping him manage the ever growing demands from Russell Martin’s passing system. Hamer will be thirty five this year and made twenty one appearances for the club in eighteen months. Manager Martin was quick to praise the veteran goalkeeper. “With Ben, he has probably been one of our most important players when you consider when he came into the team. We had had a difficult start to the season, he had been ill with Covid when we came in. But he brought a real experience and real calm, and the way he handled himself was incredible. He has been huge for us, and I told him just the other day how much we appreciated how he has conducted himself. He helped us grow as a team, to implement our ideas. He took it on so well, and he has been so supportive of Andy Fisher since he has come in. Ben has been disappointed to be out of the team, as any player should be, but he has always backed him and he also goes with our best wishes”

Korey Smith also leaves, a player who has been around the first team since signing for the swans. With seventy one appearances for the club in total, he has been the mainstay of the midfield in many games. On Smith, Martin said. “Korey has played in a number of positions and done brilliantly in all of them, he has really added value to the team and really helped the young guys on the team. He has never let anyone down, he is a great team player and he goes with our best wishes. I have no doubt he will be a great team-mate and a real good player wherever he goes next” Under both Martin and Steve Cooper last season Smith was utilised in both campaigns in defensive and attacking roles. At thirty one he will most certainly find a club easily with his pedigree at the swans, Norwich City and Bristol City.

Overall Russell Martin is disappointed to see them go but has no alternative with funds so much in demand, and more so than last season he had no choice not to include them in his future plans.”We have been chatting with them both about their situations since January, and the understanding of the financial capacity we have for next season,” he said. They are both leaving and we will be sad to see them go because of how they are culturally around the place, and what they have given us. “Sadly, players leaving is part of football. For us to be able to move forward with what we want to do, we cannot take everyone with us. We have to lose some things so we can gain in other areas. But they have been exemplary professionals, they have been great team-mates, great people and we wish them the best.”

The clubs other two conundrums this close season are Ryan Bennett and Jay Fulton, both are not in Martin’s plans and even though he resorted to playing Fulton after three months out in the cold he really had no choice. Jay turned down two offers from championship clubs before his inclusion as they didn’t come close to his salary at Swansea. That could well happen again if he chooses to run down his contract to the end of next season. Ryan Bennett is slightly different, no clubs have come in for him and he has to be realistic. His salary is ‘said’ to be twice that of Fulton, and there’s little if any chance of him getting that anywhere else. He too could remain at the club drawing his salary but that won’t be seen as a positive move by him. If he is realistic he should try and secure a deal that is longer than he has if he wants to carry on playing next season.

Fulton could find further opportunity at Swansea but it’s clear he isn’t in Russell Martin’s plans, and his absence for three months from the first team before his offers in January is obviously the reason. It is believed the swans are about to announce three more leavers when matters draw to a close, one is of course Yan Dhanda. Liam Walsh is still out on loan at Hull City but hasn’t impressed at all playing only three games. Jordon Garrick returns from Plymouth Argyle next week and has already made it known he wouldn’t mind signing for the pilgrims. His season at Plymouth has been a great success scoring goals and playing in the vast majority of games. Garrick, has one year left on his current swans contract is twenty four in July. His value is believed to be around three hundred and fifty thousand pounds.

Morgan Whittaker has had the better of times between himself and Liam Cullen. Both are on loan at Lincoln City. Morgan has scored five goals in twenty games and will meet with Russell Martin on Tuesday to discuss his immediate future. He only signed for the swans last February (2021) and has a contract until the end of June 2025. The word is if an offer came in for him it would be considered but many swans fans would like to see him as back up to Michael Obafemi and Joel Piroe if they remain at Swansea City for next season. Liam Cullen on the other hand has come from the Swansea academy, he has had far more chances at Swansea than many anticipated. Having now turned twenty three he played in twenty games for the imps last season scoring one goal. However, many Lincoln fans were happy with his contribution away from goal scoring. He too is at a crossroads but his contract has two more years to run. Our opinion is it’s unlikely he will secure a spot within the squad next season which leaves the swans placing him on the transfer list, or paying up his contract and letting him leave. Obviously another loan term is possible, but as it stands there seems little advantage in that for Swansea.

Josh Gould has not made any league appearances since signing for Ebbsfleet United on loan. He did play in the FA Cup against Leyton Orient. His contract at Swansea City expires next month and it’s likely he will leave the club. Dan Williams has been on loan at Dundalk and will stay there until November this year. He is hopeful to return shortly after an injury. The club then has an option to sign the twenty one year old, of course the swans could offer him new terms after that. Williams has made ten appearances to date for Dundalk with two assists. Lewis Webb has had some success at Shelbourne with nine appearances so far. The twenty year old can stay at the swans until 2025, and at least until 2024. He will also remain at his club until November.

Brandon Cooper’s season came to an abrupt end against Bradford City after a nasty knee injury on loan at Swindon. Up until then he had been having a successful time in Wiltshire. His contract ends in 2024, but surely the swans have seen enough of Brad to retain him with an eye for a squad place next season ? His recuperation and the length of time will be crucial. Oli Cooper has been a resounding success for Newport County this season. With thirty two games he scored one goal but assisted his team on nine occasions, arguably ten. He has a contract which runs to 2023 and surely now is ready to be included in a Swansea City match day squad next season ? He missed out on games in March and April due to an overload of games which most certainly affected County’s promotion push. Harry Jones on loan at Barry has found opportunities hard to come by but the eighteen year old right back is seen as in the very early stages of his development.

The other success is Steven Benda on loan at Peterborough United. Although he conceded 1.4 goals a game he kept three clean sheets in a poor posh side which were relegated this season from the championship. Again, it is understood he will leave the swans this summer but his contract also runs for two more years. Opinions also refer him as a very decent back up keeper for next season, if not a first team choice. However Swansea are also in the hunt for a new keeper.

That’s your independent player review to date, things change quickly and we look forward to reporting more Swansea City facts and news as they develop.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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