Defensive recruits are summer Swans priority

SWANSEA City are bidding to recruit at least one defender in the summer transfer window.

It is expected that there will be yet another significant turnaround of players in what will be Russell Martin’s third window at the club.

Players including Joel Piroe and Flynn Downes are expected to attract interest from other clubs while further recruits have already been targeted as Swansea bid to challenge for promotion next season.

As ever, it’s difficult to say exactly how many of the current crop will remain at the Swansea.com Stadium beyond the upcoming market, but with a few further additions and a full pre-season, the Swans will be confident of further improving from

August onwards. Swansea have used a total of 31 players in the Championship this term while others including Lincoln Mcfayden and Dan Williams featured in the Carabao Cup.

The transformation of the starting line-up since the opening day defeat at Blackburn Rovers has been stark.

Only seven players who featured in the 18-man squad at Ewood Park on August 7 last year were included against Reading on Easter Monday, such has been the turnaround in personnel.

But one position in particular within Swansea’s squad has seen significant change. Ryan Bennett, Ben Cabango, Joel Latibeaudiere, Finley Burns, Kyle Naughton, Ryan Manning, Brandon Cooper, Flynn Downes and Rhys Williams have all featured in Swansea’s back three this season.

The Swans have used a total of 14 different back-three combinations from the outset in league matches this term.

Of course, they’ve also used a back four at times which highlights just how much the back three has changed.

The style shift was evident from day one under Martin, and finding the right blend of defensive capabilities combined with an ability to confidently play out from the back has been perhaps the toughest puzzle for the current coaching staff to solve in their debut campaign at the club.

While there have been some horror shows against the likes of Stoke City and Sheffield United, the Swans’ possession-based game provides them with a real platform to control matches which in turn has ensured they have an impressive clean sheet record.

Swansea’s tally of 16 league shutouts is the joint-second best in the Championship this term, but the Reading game served as an unwanted reminder that, defensively, they can still be vulnerable.

Head coach Martin and his fellow coaches have already identified transfer targets, with the hope being that some business can be conducted early.

Inevitably, some deals will go down to the wire, such is the nature of the window.

But plans have long been in place to ensure Swansea can fine tune what has increasingly looked like a welloiled machine.

With the futures of loan men Hannes Wolf and Cyrus Christie still in the balance, the wing-back slots could become a priority in the summer.

But should the pair extend their stays with the Swans, there will be a real emphasis on ensuring the makeup of the back three and the back-up options are as strong and well prepared as possible.