Swansea have been very astute in the transfer market this summer. Despite on the face of it losing stars such as Joe Allen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker looked bad. But the astuteness of Michael Laudrup’s signings has been overlooked in many quarters. Firstly there is Dutchman Jonathan De Guzman’s arrival from Deportivo; a class act with a masterful range of passing. Then there is the dominant defensive force that is Chico Flores and the barnstorming midfielder Michu.
Joining that growing Spanish contingent along with Angel Rangel at Swansea will soon be Valencia winger Pablo Hernandez in a club record deal.
Whilst it has taken the sale of Scott Sinclair to Manchester City to develop the funds for such a move, I ask whether Swansea have actually pulled off a transfer coup.
The Valencian winger was a slow starter in his career being shipped out on loan to Cadiz and eventually sold to Getafe. His season with Getafe was a promising one, as the Madrid side over-performed and he played an integral part in such success under the management of, you guessed it, Michael Laudrup.
Now Laudrup has brought back his former player at the Welsh side where his style of play will slot immediately into the Swansea philosophy.
Not only this but since the Getafe days he has come on even more as a player, winning his first international caps with Spain and scoring against Austria. Yes that is Spain as in the dominant force of international football over the past 4 years; Spain of which many talented players have never represented such as Mikel Arteta or QPR’s recent recruit Esteban Granero.
He has already scored a goal on English soil by opening the scoring against Manchester United in December 2010 in a Champions League group match.
His form may of wavered at times last season but the fact is Swansea have sold a 23 year old winger who has yet to represent England, and was not included in their most recent squad, and for a smaller price brought in a 27 year old who has international experience with one of the greatest national sides of all time not to mention an abundance of Champions League appearances under his belt.
Michael Laudrup has done it again, and coupled with the signing of Ki Seung Yeung this week, I am starting to seriously, seriously, regret tipping Swansea to struggle this season.
Here are some Twitter reactions to the latest Swansea transfer dealings ...
The Football Front @ReviewFootball
Reports say Valencia have accepted £5mill bid from Swansea forPablo Hernandez. That's brilliant value, Swansea been outstanding in market.
Dude. Swansea have signed Pablo Hernandez? Wow. Real real talent. Laudrup, ftw.
Michael Laudrup strikes again! Pablo Hernandez to arrive in Swansea tomorrow. Dream signing. #StrengthInDepth
So Matt Jarvis costs 15m and Pablo Hernandez costs 7m #Insane
Swansea with a great deal for Pablo Hernandez at £5.5m. Really impressed with how quickly Laudrup has set everything up.
What do you make of Laudrup’s latest signing?
image: © joncandy
Mathew Nash
@hitcmathewnashGoogle+more stories from Mathew Nash
I’m Mathew Nash a 23 year old graduate in Sports Studies and I have an insatiable love for sport. With a particularly keen interest for the madcap world of football I have always been known amongst friends as a beacon for bizarre sporting trivia and knowledge. My other passion is for writing and hopefully combining the two will create a superb and entertaining marriage that will create, divide and share opinion.
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