Late collapse of Grant deal sums up Swans’ window
“WELL it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better. But apart from that, excellent.”
A line borrowed from Blackadder Goes Forth, which accurately describes Swansea City’s transfer deadline day, which ended with huge dollops of frustration once again.
Nothing happened until right at the death - obviously - when a loan deal for West Brom’s Karlan Grant came on the radar late in the piece.
A quick check of the striker’s stats saw supporters quickly inject optimism into their psyches.
This will do.
All looked well for an attacking addition to Russell Martin’s squad badly needed with Michael Obafemi leaving for Burnley.
But as the clock ticked past the 11pm deadline news emerged that the Baggies were unwilling to part with their player, despite all the paperwork being completed.
The two clubs are even understood to have made contact with each other in a bid to confirm a time to announce the signing on social media.
But in classic transfer window domino effect fashion, The Hawthorns outfit own move for Chelsea’s Omari Hutchinson fell through, meaning they were unwilling to sanction Grant’s departure from the west Midlands.
They did get Marc Albrighton on loan from Leicester City, but boss Carlos Corberan saw fit to keep another attacking option on his books.
The failure to get this one over the line can’t be laid at Swansea’s door but serious questions over why they once again left their business so late in the day in a window that was open for a month certainly can be.
They are left with restricted options in the final third and will now have to reintegrate Morgan Whittaker into the fold after the youngster failed to get his transfer to Rangers sorted.
That will take time and has no guarantee of success. Could the free agent market be looked at? Possibly, but one would think Martin will now make do with what he’s got until the end of the season.
A shot at the top six and a play-off push is within their grasp but they will have to do it with a squad which lost six players in the month of January and failed to recruit a single one, while their promotion rivals all appear to be stronger with signings made.