CLEM’S NEW FIGHT
He must keep Sig
PAUL CLEMENT has already performed one miracle keeping Swansea in the Premier League.
Keeping Gylfi Sigurdsson in South Wales would be the next one.
The Iceland star underlined exactly why he is Tottenham’s top target for this summer’s transfer window with another virtuoso display.
Even on what had been one of his quieter days, he was the man who found the key to unlock West Brom’s disciplined defence as his exquisite free-kick enabled Jordan Ayew to equalise a first-half Jonny Evans goal.
Convince
And he was everywhere for the last 20 minutes as a Fernando Llorente volley secured a win that lifted Swansea – bottom with 12 points from 19 games when Clement took over – to 15th.
That alone was worth just under £4m in extra Premier League prize money. It should also have stuck another few million on what Spurs will have to pay to bring their former player back to London.
But Clement believes he can convince Sigurdsson, 27, not to move.
The Swansea boss said: “He knows the club, he knows he is wanted here, he knows the fans love him. He’s had one experience not long ago where he went to a good club.
“Spurs are even bigger now but he needs to think about whether he wants a future here or anywhere else.
“It is very clear for us that we don’t want to sell him or any of our better players, Gylfi, Fernando, any of them.
“I think all our players enjoyed the second half of the season and can see this is a team that should not have been in relegation danger and are capable of doing a lot better.”
Albion, with manager Tony Pulis showing he has far more tactical nous than he’s ever given credit for by nullifying Swansea’s diamond formation with a back three, dominated for the first hour.
They deserved to go in front after 33 minutes when Evans was left unmarked to meet Darren Fletcher’s corner and head home.
But Salomon Rondon missed two big chances before Llorente unselfishly headed into Ayew’s path for the Ghanaian to score his first goal since his January move from Aston Villa. Swans sub Luciano Narsingh set up Llorente for the Spaniard’s 15th goal of the campaign.
Baggies boss Pulis said: “The final games of the season have highlighted the fact we need to be better at both ends.
“We had chances to put it to bed and then our marking for the equaliser was absolutely shocking.
“If we were a little bit more stubborn we’d have drawn or even won.”