Will they stay or will they go..? How the Swansea squad could shape up
SWANSEA City’s preparations for the 2020/21 campaign are well under way following the conclusion of their debut season under Steve Cooper.
It’s set to be another summer of change at the Liberty Stadium, with no fewer than five men out of contract and six players in on loan deals.
And the picture has become clearer as to what the future holds for each player.
Here’s a closer look at what’s to come...
Who should stay
A raft of players are still under contract, while others have penned new deals in the last 12 months or so.
It means the likes of Jay Fulton, George Byers, Connor Roberts, Jake Bidwell and Matt Grimes are all set to remain at the club.
The same should apply with youngsters such as Liam Cullen, Jordon Garrick, Ben Cabango and Yan Dhanda.
What about the loan and out-ofcontract players?
COOPER has publicly stated he is keen to see Wayne Routledge and Kyle Naughton remain at the club.
The experienced duo have been major influences both on and off the pitch during Cooper’s tenure to date, and it’s expected they will be offered fresh deals.
However, it appears as though the other three out-of-contract stars are destined for the exit door.
Erwin Mulder is likely to leave, while Mike van der Hoorn’s Swansea career now looks set to come to an end, while the same appears to apply to club legend Nathan Dyer who was restricted to just 12 appearances in all competitions last term.
Dyer – who was part of the side which lifted the League Cup in 2013 – has spent more than a decade at the club and was an integral figure during their European and Premier League campaigns.
As for those who were sent out on loan, Barrie McKay, Declan John and Joel Asoro could well be shipped on. These will most likely depend on the nature of the market.
However, there’s every chance Kristoffer Peterson could return to the Liberty following a loan spell with Utrecht, unless a significant enough bid was received for his services.
Goalkeeper Steven Benda will stay following an impressive term with Swindon Town.
And then there’s those who came in on loan.
Aldo Kalulu made just 12 appearances for Swansea during his season-long loan from Basel, with injuries significantly hampering his progress.
And it appears the Swans will not activate the option-to-buy clause they had in their agreement with Basel for the winger.
Cooper was hugely impressed with Ben Wilmot and was thought to be keen on a fresh deal for the centre-back, although the defender looks set to return to Watford, with the Hornets preparing for a campaign in the Championship.
But the situation for the other four loan players is somewhat different.
Cooper is keen for Freddie Woodman, Rhian Brewster, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher to extend their stays with the club.
It is hoped that deals can be struck with Liverpool and Newcastle for Brewster and Woodman respectively to sign season-long loan deals.
As for Guehi, he should be fine to stay with Swansea for the duration of next term having signed an 18-month agreement with the club in January.
And while Gallagher has admitted he thoroughly enjoyed his time with the Swans, it could be very tough for
Cooper to secure another loan agreement for the versatile No.10.
It’s believed he has attracted interest from the Premier League, with Crystal Palace among those thought to have shown an interest in the Englishman.
What about the others?
Joe Rodon remains sidelined due to injury, and it was previously expected that he would depart this summer.
However, the coronavirus pandemic looks set to have a major impact on the summer transfer window, with clubs set to be far less willing to part company with hefty sums.
Swansea have received no concrete offers for the academy product, and given the Welsh international’s injury problems, a move may not be as likely as previously thought.
Boyhood Swan Rodon still has two years left to run on his contract with the club.
But one man who seems almost certain to leave is Andre Ayew.
The Ghana international was widely expected to depart last summer, although a move never materialised.
It’s understood the attacker has received numerous offers, most notably from clubs in the Middle East.
Given his hefty wages, it seems unthinkable that he will spend another season in the Championship.
The Swans were hugely impressed with the way the frontman performed both on and off the pitch during the 2019/20 campaign, and they are willing to accept that Ayew is more than capable of operating at a higher level.
And finally, there’s Bersant Celina.
The Kosovan barely featured for Swansea after the season resumed in June, with his last start coming in the 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers in February.
It appears he has fallen out of favour under Cooper, and you simply can’t rule out a transfer for the former Manchester City man in the coming weeks.
His current deal runs until the summer of 2022, and it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be a Swansea player when the next campaign starts on September 12.