All the latest media rumblings before the Swans jet off to America tomorrow on their pre-season tour
Michu to return to training late "with other international players"
This was news that came out yesterday, and if it's true it's still a bit weird. It emerged that Michu had been absent from the first few days tests now that the players are back from their summer holidays, but it's been explained away as extra time off that was granted to him, and that he'd be returning soon enough. Why's he getting extra time off? If it's injury related that's fair enough, but if it's anything else it would definitely increase the likelihood he's to depart in the near future. If he doesn't want to be here he's better off elsewhere. The Monk is set to hold crunch talks with Michu today, and I'm sure we'll know soon enough whether there's been any kind of resolution, and if Michu will be wearing the new Swansea shirt this season.
Swansea in pole position to sign Ecuador World Cup winger?
This is a rumour which first surfaced around this time last year, though there didn't seem to really be much legs in it at the time. Fitting in nicely with our habit of trying to only sign players who've played for, or impressed against us in the past Jefferson, excellently known as Jeff, played against us in a friendly for Real Betis a couple of seasons back, and while I wasn't in attendance those who were have referred to his performance thus: "Lightning".
I really can't say I know anything about him, but we do seem short a winger - even if we are going to play two up top next season. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and I've seen reports ranging widely in terms of the reputed fee, but £7million would be the mean average. I'm all for pacy wide players, and the fact he has "Jeff" on the back of his shirt is enough for me to want him to come in. Bienvenido, Jeff!
Taylor/The Gylf swap deal rumbles on...
If this is going to happen, it's being sorted right now. With the Swans off to America in around twenty-four hours time, Spurs really won't want to have to wait until we're back - or indeed to switch target with Davies clearly the player they want - and it's possible that the media silence on this deal could actually mean the clubs are deep in the throes of thrashing a deal out. If it does include Sigurdsson coming to the Swans that would be an undoubtedly complex bit of business, and let's hops the club can get it sorted as quickly and painlessly as possible. I'm undecided as to whether we need a player like The Gylf at the moment, and I'll put a blog up later/tomorrow explaining why that is, but if it's what The Monk wants that's good enough for me. In Monk we trust!