Swansea City have confirmed the signing of Liverpool midfielder, Yan Dhanda on a free transfer. The 19-year-old revealed his intentions to be more involved in the senior team which led to this move. The Swans certainly are better equipped to provide him first-team action following their relegation from the Premier League.
Dhanda became the first player of Indian origin to sign a professional contract with the Reds. He is a graduate of the Liverpool youth academy having signed with the side from West Brom in July 2013 and operates from the number ten position. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in December 2015 but rejected the recent extension that was offered to him by Liverpool.
Dhanda has bags of potential under his boots and even was called up to train with the Reds senior team under Jurgen Klopp. The former Borussia Dortmund boss invests heavily in the club’s youth program and is known to give them major team responsibilities.
However, even after losing to Philippe Coutinho in the winter transfer break, the German boss had not called up Dhanda for a single senior team game. This is bound to infuriate ambitious heads who want to prove their worth against the topmost competition.
Dhanda had earlier been noticed by Chelsea when he won the ‘Search for the next Asian star’ competition at London. He went on to represent England in the U16 and U17 level numerous times and had to fight his way through a number of English outfits – Walsall, Aston Villa, Birmingham City and then West Bromwich Albion.
The 19-year-old is a playmaker and loves to take on opposition players on the dribble. He has the pace and agility to appear from the wings as well.
Dhanda went through the same system that churned out players like Raheem Sterling and Jerome Sinclair. He idolised Coutinho while growing up through the Liverpool youth ranks and wanted to follow into the shoes of club legends like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
However, those dreams might have to take a backseat as fresher opportunities are set to come his way with the Welsh outfit.
The Swans have struggled ever since they lost Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton last summer. The Iceland international’s departure has left a massive gap in the City ranks which unfortunately no one has been able to fill up.
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Dhanda will be allowed to play his position with the utmost freedom since there are not many other like him in the club. Renato Sanches is set to return to Bayern Munich after his failed loan spell at the Liberty and Leroy Fer has struggled with his fitness last term.
