‘Wheels in motion’ for new signings – Clement
PAUL Clement has revealed ‘the wheels are in motion’ regarding Swansea City’s January recruitment drive, with the boss having already held discussions with the club’s hierarchy over transfer targets.
The Swans recruited no fewer than four players in the previous winter window following the appointment of Clement as the club’s new manager, with Martin Olsson, Luciano Narsingh, Jordan Ayew and Tom Carroll all making the move to South Wales.
Clement has previously revealed that he hopes to add to his attacking options in January, given that the Swans have scored just nine goals in 17 Premier League matches so far this term.
And the Swansea boss believes that the club’s experiences in January 2017 will put them in good stead for when the upcoming window arrives.
“The wheels are in motion, the chairman, owners and myself are talking regularly about potential targets, it goes on all the time,” said Clement.
“It’s not an easy window to operate in. You can have your targets but are they available or achievable? Does the salary fit in with the structure and will they let him go?
“It’s complicated, it’s not as easy as just saying you want him. Of course they’ll look at the table It’s a tough window, but the advantage we have is that we know we’re capable of getting out of trouble.”
PAUL Clement says Renato Sanches has had the wake-up call he needs after he insisted there is no chance of him heading back to Bayern Munich next month.
There had been claims on-loan midfielder Sanches – once young European footballer of the year, but who has struggled in South Wales – was set for an ignominious return to parent club Bayern following his poor form at the Liberty.
But Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes dismissed reports of discussions to end the year-long deal early, and Clement has reiterated that the 20-year-old will see out the season at Swansea.
The Swans boss said that there had been no talks with Bayern and added that there were no stipulations to say he had to either be guaranteed games or that the Bundesliga side could recall him if he didn’t play in a certain amount of games.
With no options in the deal of end- ing the stay midway through the season, a new agreement would have to be reached that could mean financial implications with Swansea having already committed to a loan fee believed to be around £5m, as well as covering at least some of his wages.
Bayern boss Heynckes – who replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the German giants in October – said: “There were no talks to bring him back. We are well stocked in midfield. I don’t think we need more. Moreover, bear in mind too – if we were to do this – would Sanches get any more playing time?
“I’m assuming that (Bayern sporting director) Hasan Salihamidzic has spoken with Renato on the phone – I have told him in recent weeks we need to take care of loan players like Sanches and Serge Gnarby at Hoffenheim – but it was not at all talked about that he comes back in the winter.”
The speculation came at a time when Sanches has been dropped from Clement’s match-day squad on the back of his disastrous performance at Chelsea that saw the Euro 2016 winner widely mocked.
But Clement has hinted at a return for the midfielder and said he has responded well since suffering the axe.
Sanches has not been on the bench for the Swans’ last two Premier League fixtures, with some using it to highlight the fall of a player who cost Bayern £35m to capture him from Benfica last summer.
It led Heynckes to say: “I know all about Portuguese football from my time at Benfica and I know how Benfica develops younger players.
“I also followed Sanches’ career a little even before Euro 2016 and knew that he had only played very few games at Benfica that season, only 15 or 16, but still managed to make the squad for the Euros – before signing for Bayern.
“I have to say Renato is a huge talent, but talent is just the one thing. Talents also need the discipline to work daily on their game in order to get integrated and become a team player.
“Young players also need support and firm leadership – with some strong words from time to time.”
And Clement believes dropping the former Golden Boy award winner was doing just that, saying: “What I did over the last two games is showing we can be forceful with him.
“There’s different ways to be forceful, for me there’s nothing more forceful than being left out of the 18.
“I hope that the realisation of how he’s played, the inconsistency, he can’t expect to keep getting picked if he’s not performing at the level.
“I have to think about the team first.
“Renato is a good player and I do believe he can make a contribution for us. But in order to do that he has to start playing to his potential and when he does that he will feature a lot more.
“We will stay with him, keep working with him, keep showing we have belief in him.
“An obvious answer would be that we should keep putting him in the squad to do that, but we have to work with him behind the scenes on the training ground and in the video room.
“We need to get him back to what he is capable of. His confidence is clearly low. It was low when he came here and we would have hoped that it would have gone back up to a very good level. But it’s taken more time than we would have hoped.”
Sanches has not started a league game since the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth last month, a game where he had showed glimpses of his talent with hope at the Liberty still that he could play a big part in pushing Swansea away from relegation danger.
And that could yet start at Goodison, with Clement suggesting there is a possibility the 13-cap international could return to the side for Monday’s trip to Everton with Swansea needing to bounce back from heavy defeat to Manchester City.
He added: “He’s been out of the last two squads, which is obviously not a good situation for Renato, he’s not very happy about it, but his reaction is very good in training.
“He’s very motivated and knows what he needs to do to break back not only into the 18 but into the starting XI as well.
“But he absolutely has the chance of making the squad, if he continues to train as he has today and into the game. I always say to players when you have been left out of the squad and the team want to play then you have to prove me wrong.
“You have to show me things that make me change my mind. He’s in the same situation as others; they have to show me every day something that is going to make me change my mind.
“I really hope Swansea fans see the best of him.
“I can’t predict the future. I know the skills I have to get the best out of young players and I believe in the skills he has. Hopefully we can work together for a good solution.”
Swansea have no fresh injury worries going to Goodison, with Wilfried Bony available following his precautionary withdrawal during the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City with a tight hamstring. Wayne Routledge has also recovered from muscular concerns.