Geoff Cameron the latest to be linked with a move to South Wales
It's a good thing we aren't signing everyone we're linked with this summer. If that was the case, we'd currently have about eight right-backs at our disposal! With Tiendalli & Rangel already on the books, we've seen rumours regarding Carl Jenkinson, Kyle Naughton, Ramon Azeez, Adam Matthews and anyone else who seems to be available at a decent price, but the latest link - Geoff Cameron, is a bit different to any of the others.
A bit of a utility player, Cameron could easily be described as a Premier League Alan Tate. Capable of playing at right-back or defensive midfield (Jazz Richards' days at the club may well be numbered sadly), he'd provide cover in two positions we're openly recruting for, and what's more he's already shown he can perform in the Premier League.
There would possibly be a bit of an issue in that he's unlikely to fit straight into the passing game we know and love, but Stoke's rapid transformation from a hoofball team to one who like to ping it about means he's in a much better position to make the change than he would have been a year ago. It says something about how football has shifted in that I'd potentially have more of a problem with us signing players from Stoke than from Cardiff. Personal allegiances can be bought in modern football - having an appreciation of tactics is something which takes longer to hone.
The fee rumoured is around £4.5million, which seems a bit steep to me if I'm completely honest. It is cheap for someone who's played 72 games in the Premier League, generally performing solidly, but I can't help but get the feeling Adam Matthews could be a better bet. What do I know though? Another string to Cameron's bow is that, being American, he'd help further our exposure across the pond. That might sound crudely capitalist but making the most of your resources is what separates top clubs from everyone else, and with the Swans' American fanbase clearly growing any American player coming to the Swans would surely aid that no end.
At twenty-nine Cameron isn't getting any younger, but he'd almost definitely be an improvement on Tiendalli. He's 6'3" too, which would add to the growing physical element our squad possesses, and it would be nice if we could start getting the odd goal from set-pieces too. Other people manage it so why shouldn't we? With someone else whipping in free-kicks and corners (and hopefully clearing the first man - I'm looking at you Jono) we could definitely make a lot more of Bony et al than we were last season.
Whether Geoff Cameron will be a Swansea player next season is very hard to say. He most definitely fits the bill though, and I think his versatility could well be the deciding factor. Why sign two players for two positions when you can sign one? That's the question Huw will be asking himself, and knowing how we do things it isn't something he'd be pondering too long.