Swansea City did a commendable job, to say the least as they overcame the challenges of Everton at home and Sunderland away to escape the relegation this season. Since the managerial change last winter, which saw Paul Clement coming at the helm, the South Wales club has seen some surprising wins against top sides that finally reaped fruits.
And now, the biggest concern for the club would be to get in the necessary reinforcements and plugging in the yet-to-come voids successfully this summer. With players like Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fernando Llorente, Leroy Fer and Sung-Yong Ki showing their class in the league, some of them are bound to leave the South Wales side at the end of the season.
The onus will be on Paul Clement to rebuild the club and not repeat the same mistakes Swansea did this season. And if reports are to be believed, the English manager has already started making his moves in the transfer market as Manchester City loanee, Wilfried Bony, who is currently at Stoke City is targeted. The 28-year-old Ivory Coast international had a terrible season this term with the centre-forward managing just 10 Premier League games.
With the Potters already bringing in Saido Berahino last winter, Stoke City are unlikely to make any effort in retaining him. And with Manchester City eyeing bigger names in that role after Sergio Aguero’s 31 goal feat seemingly not good enough for manager Pep Guardiola, Bony is unlikely to remain in City’s plans.
And if reports are to be believed, the Citizens are now willing to let go of their once cherished striker for £15million plus add-ons, after buying him for £28million last season. Given Swansea’s striker problems, where they are in real danger of losing out on Llorente this summer, Clement is expected to pay that sum.
Swansea City have scored 43 goals this season, which is among the lowest in the league. And the Swans are willing to improve that next season. Bony’s rise to stardom started at Swansea City, where he has scored 17 goals in 37 games in the 2013-14 season. Injuries didn’t help him the next season as he could score only nine goals in 20 appearances, but by then he had established himself as a top striker in England.
City picked him in 2014 and since then, Bony has scored just eight goals in 40 league outings. Hughes has lost faith in him with the player describing it as a ‘crazy situation’. Swansea could definitely come back stronger if Clement manages to get him performing.
