Swansea About To Make A Move For Santiago Arias?

Swansea City are on the verge of making a bid for PSV Eindhoven star Santiago Arias it’s being reported.

The club had scouts watching the France versus Colombia game at the Stade de France on Friday evening, where the Colombians came back from 2-0 down to win the game 3-2.

All eyes, from a Swansea point of view were on the full back Arias, who enjoyed the full 90 minutes.

They’ve been watching the star for a while now and almost got the move last August, again almost making a bid in January. It’s a move that seems to have stalled a few times and it seems that the move is once again back on.

The 26-year-old has played 26 times for the Dutch side so far this season and has 15 months left on his contract. To get him in the summer could cost around £9million and it’s thought he’d welcome a move away from the Philips Stadion.

The Swans would welcome a new player in his position with only Angel Rangel, Kyle Naughton and Martin Olsson recognised full backs in the first team. The former is recovering from a long-term injury which leaves the club incredibly short.

It’s been a problem position for a while now and something that manager Carlos Carvalhal will be looking to remedy as soon as the transfer window opens over the summer.

Whether Carvalhal will recognise the Colombian as the man he wants is another story but it does look as though this saga is continuing to rumble on.

Arias could play down both wings, although primarily down the right, and also has the ability to step in at centre back if needed. That sort of flexibility is useful for any squad and as Swansea continue to improve under the Portuguese, that could be a vital asset.

There’s no doubt that Carvalhal will be looking to improve the side come the summer, and they might want to get business done on this one before the World Cup. A good tournament for the full back will see his stock rise and could end up seeing Swansea have to pay over the odds, not to mention other clubs getting involved.

What is certain is that Swansea are in for a full back and from what it looks like they will be ready to make a move one final time for Arias as he seeks a move away from the Eredivisie.

The Swansea Run-In: Why There’s No Need To Worry

The Swans will return to action next week after rather meekly going out of the FA Cup last week, but we really shouldn’t be afraid about the rest of the season.

The loss was a disappointment after getting so far in the competition, mainly because the up turn in form in the Premier League has been a real boost.

That’ll be the full focus from now until May and with eight games left and just three points above the drop zone there’s plenty to do.

First up for the Swans is a visit to Old Trafford in what of course will be a tough task.

The Spurs game was just the third defeat under Carvalhal however and they’ve proved they can get results. United’s abject performances against Sevilla and struggles against Brighton will encourage Carvalhal who has led his side to fifth in the form table from the day he took over.

The performance levels have matched the results and the Jacks are now at a point where they really do fear nobody.

Which is just as well, because Manchester City and Chelsea are also involved in the Swansea run in.

They earned vital points against other big sides including a fantastic result against Arsenal and a well earned point against Leicester, so it wouldn’t be against the grain for them to at least push Mourinho and Conte’s men.

However, it’s elsewhere where Swansea can push themselves further away from the pack. West Brom is the first game in April, a must win against a side who are already gone, while Everton at home on April 14 is a game which should be earmarked as a win.

That would give them some leeway in back to back games against City and Chelsea, before a final two games against clubs in and around them.

Bournemouth is the penultimate game at the Vitality Stadium. Both will hopefully be comfortably safe by this point but Stoke on the last day has the potential to be a huge one for the Potters.

Stoke are currently three points adrift of safety, but have a new manager at the helm and will be hoping that can bring a change in fortune.

If Swansea can carry on their decent run, that game will be irrelevant and to be honest, we really don’t think there will be any need to worry.

Is Alfie Mawson The Man To Solve England’s Defensive Woes?

To say Alfie Mawson has been the standout player for the Swans this season would be an understatement. He’s proved a shining light and has been a key man in the Swansea revival since Carlos Carvalhal took over as boss back in December.

With the season almost up, he’s legitimately being talked about for a place in the England squad, ahead of the likes of Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling. But is he the man to sit in the very heart of England’s squad?

Well, Swans fans certainly think so, even if it is strengthening the chances of Gareth Southgate’s men.

He’s in the squad for the upcoming friendlies with Holland and Italy, and will almost certainly get his chance alongside Burnley’s James Tarkowski.

Carvalhal is certainly tipping his man with the 24-year-old the “perfect” fit according to recent reports.

He’s put in some stellar performances this season, so much so he’s being eyed up by Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs. It’s thought that Southgate will play with a back three this summer and Mawson would be an ideal fit having become comfortable with that formation throughout the domestic season.

To do that, concentration and communication with your partners is key and Mawson has had little trouble with that at any point. He’s been calm, calculated and proven he has all the attributes to really excel in an England back three.

Carvalhal said of his centre half, “He has the concentration, he is very good one to one, he is very strong, good in the air, he has the agility to play on the sides.”

His professionalism will be massive for England and as a player who just gets on with the job, he could be a real blessing for Southgate. That sort of temperament is what’s needed in football and England could well be brimming with strong, quality football if the manager is bold enough to select Mawson and Tarkowski.

He’s said he’ll only pick players who are playing regularly and are in form. While that can certainly be said of Mawson, it can’t of Gary Cahill or John Stones who have found themselves getting further and further down the pecking order at Chelsea and Manchester City.

He’s the form man Mawson, and having done things the hard way, he thoroughly deserves his place. It’s almost like another Jamie Vardy story. A progression beginning with non-league Maidenhead United. With that you get a man who’s dedicated, works hard, and one that really does put everything on the line. It’s a perfect fit.

The Greatest Swansea Players Of All Time: We Have Our Say

With the international break looming and no games to look forward to for two weeks, we got thinking about the greats to have put on the white shirt over the years.

There have been plenty throughout Swansea’s rise to the Premier League and since their arrival in the top flight, there have been a number of exciting footballers at the Liberty.

Alfie Masson is perhaps the latest to really impress in a Swans shirt and could earn his first England cap in Friday’s game against the Netherlands.

But which players have already made their mark on the club? We run down our favourite Jacks over the years…

Leon Britton

While not a one club man, Leon Britton is Mr Swansea having played for the club at every level from League Two upwards.

He’s been at the club since 2002 with only a brief spell at Sheffield United (2010/11) breaking up his 452 appearances.

Now 35, he’ll go down as an all-time great for the club and was instrumental in the midfield during their promotion to the Premier League.

Lee Trundle

Lee Trundle brought some real class during a desperate period for the club. He was brought to Swansea back in 2003 by Brian Flynn and instantly endeared himself to the fans.

Known for his trickery, he scored 91 goals for Swansea and was a key man in their promotion to League One. He never played above the Championship throughout his career despite continually being linked to Premier League sides. A true cult hero among Swans fans.

Alan Curtis

A Swansea City without Alan Curtis isn’t worth thinking about. He played 437 times for the club and is the current Loan Player Manager having been in the staff at the club since 2004.

He scored one of the club’s most iconic goals, scoring their first goal in top flight football against Leeds.

He’s been with the club through both th good times and bad and will force be lauded as a true City great.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

While Gylfi Sigurdsson didn’t play for the Swans for too long, he made just 131 appearances in all, he did help cement the Swans as a Premier League club.

He brought class, creativity and goals to the club and is perhaps the closest the club have ever really got to world class.

It’s a shame a team couldn’t have been built around the Icelandic for years to come but we can’t help but acknowledge what a fantastic player he really was.

Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams was a real leader during his eight years with the Swans. He played 351 times across League One, the Championship and the Premier League, barely missing a game along the way.

His performances for the Swans brought him the captaincy for both club and country and he’s since gone on to earn 76 caps.

Another who perhaps should have stayed to further his legacy, but he was a player who really did help cement Swansea’s Premier League status.

A Key January for the Swans: The Players to Help Keep Them in the Top Flight

It’s been another rough start to the season for Swansea City. The Welsh club sit uncomfortably in the relegation zone having won just two in 13.

Paul Clement still believes he’s the man to take them forward, and the board are seemingly sticking with him. Tony Pulis has been rumoured to be interested in the job and Clement is the favourite amongst football betting teams to be sacked next in the Premier League.

Either way, work in the January transfer window is needed, and rumours are flying about who could make their way to the Liberty Stadium in the new year…

Santiago Arias

The full back areas are definitely in need of improvement at Swansea and they seem keen on making a move for PSV right back Santiago Arias.

The 25-year-old has been plying his trade in the Dutch Eredivisie since 2013 and has notched up 134 appearances for his club.

He’s highly regarded in his home nation of Colombia and a move to the Premier League is high on his agenda.

The Swans were put off by a £12million price tag in the summer, but times are a little more desperate now.

Jonathan Viera

Speaking of desperate, the Swansea attack is in dire need of talent. Having lost Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente in the summer, they’ve not really replaced their goals.

The return of Wilfried Bony has failed to set the world alight, so a new face, or a few, will be vital in January.

It’ll be make or break for the man in charge when it comes to buying new attackers. Jonathan Viera of Las Palmas seems the most likely man to turn to.

He was called up to the Spain squad recently but a £30million release clause could prove to be a sticking point.

The 28-year-old was linked with a move in the summer but nothing materialised, will it be a case of same again?

Vincent Aboubakar

Another player who was linked with signing for the Swans in the summer is Vincent Aboubakar.

The Porto man is dead set on a move to England and his form will make him a wanted man this January.

The Cameroonian forward has 14 goals in 16 games for the Portuguese outfit, goals that’d be vital for Paul Clement’s men.

He’s shown an interest in the club, the club now need to go and get him. 

Which Swans manager has the best Premier League win ratio?

Paul Clement's job is edging closer to being untenable according to the majority of Swansea City fans, despite his heroics at the back of end last season.

Saturday's disappointing display in the 2-1 loss at Arsenal enraged many fans as the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea assistant manager refused to make positive, attacking changes.

Clement's defensive approach has been very much hit and miss this campaign, resulting in successful results against Southampton, Crystal Palace and Spurs, but the Swans still only sit narrowly above the drop zone on goal difference.

After delving deeper into the complete statistics, we discovered that Paul Clement's 35.71% league win record as Swansea manager actually makes him the second best Premier League manager in the club's history at the time of writing.

But who tops the list?

Well, no surprises for assuming who's in last place! That prize goes to American boss Bob Bradley, who managed a dismal 18.81% league win ratio in his reign of terror in 2016. He may have been given a weak hand and very little time, but performances and results were truly awful and it's still rather baffling how he got the job in the first place.

Ironically in the fifth place, the Europa League spot, is Michael Laudrup. The Dane made history by winning Swansea's first ever major trophy in 2013, battling for Capital One Cup glory and earning the Swans first venture into Europe in 22 years. Domestically however, Laudrup's record was somewhat underwhelming.

Laudrup's ninth place finish in 2012/13 actually only saw 11 league wins in total. Just five more than that Capital One Cup campaign! The distraction of trips to Spain, Russia and Switzerland in the Europa League certainly didn't help his cause, but his accrued league win percentage stands at 27.41%.

In fourth spot is the man who brought the glory days back to Swansea. Brendan Rodgers led the Jack Army to their first top flight appearance since 1983, doing so with an easy-on-the-eye footballing style beloved by neutrals far and wide. That unique pass-based gameplan gained plenty of plaudits as the Swans earned a surprising 11th place finish - but how many games did Brendan win at the helm?

On the whole, Rodgers left with a superb 44.79% win ratio. In the Premier League, however, his total 12 wins from 38 earns him a disappointing percentage of 31.57%.

Marginally behind Paul Clement in second place is the man who began last season in charge - Francesco Guidolin. The experienced Italian was granted just seven games in the dugout before the hierarchy got rid last season, in spite of a hard-fought 12th place finish in the season previous.

It's a controversial decision to this day - Guidolin had seen far too many of his key players moved on in the transfer window and the Swans fans had a lot of time and respect for him. Nevertheless, it is what it is.

So here we are. Most fans will have already worked it out, but it's true. Swansea City's best Premier League permanent manager since 2011 is club legend Garry Monk!

His role in helping the Swans recover from a dreadful first half to the 2013/14 season was pivotal, restoring the positive vibes in the dressing room. In his only full season at the helm, Monk led the Swans to their highest Premier League finish of eighth, bringing in highly successful signings Lukasz Fabianski and Gylfi Sigurdsson that season.

Despite seeing positives from his signings of Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew, Monk was moved on in December 2015 with three wins from 15 league matches.

Nonetheless, Monk's complete combined league win record of 35.82% remains ever-so-slightly better than Clement's current record of 35.71%.

Monk's sacking was deemed harsh by many at the time - would sacking Clement get the same kind of response?

Arsenal 2-1 Swans - Abject Swans cling on to 'positives'

For 30 minutes at least, Swans fans astonishingly began to believe that a near-impossible win at the Emirates was on the cards. As ever, that dream was shattered limply in the space of 10 minutes in the second half.

It could have all been so different. Should Jordan Ayew have squared the simplest of chances to Tammy Abraham when he dispossessed Per Mertesacker inside the Arsenal penalty area with minutes left until half-time, it really could've been game over.

Instead, we're left to hear the same old soundbites. Paul Clement claimed that 'a good performance is just around the corner' midweek, while citing plenty of improvements and positives after another failed good performance on Saturday.

Yes, the goal was a lovely move, Abraham's perfectly weighted pass was dispatched with calmness and precision from Sam Clucas - but where were the other positives?

Arsenal controlled the game, not just in terms of possession (of which they had 73%), but in terms of the flow and the chances. The first Arsenal goal was a tad lucky with the ball bobbling to Kolasinac rather fortunately, but the second goal was a complete and utter shambles. Ramsey was in acres of space, queuing up with other teammates inside the box, while Kolasinac had all the time in the world to pick the pass.

That second half Swans display was almost certainly one of the worst we've seen all season. The lack of changes, attacking intent and belief in the ranks at 2-1 was disturbing.

Clement said post-match: "It's always going to be a difficult test against an Arsenal side with so many quality offensive players - you have to be so focused for the whole game. I thought we deserved a point."

Words of a man clutching at straws with his job on the line, no doubt. And rightly so after another 90 minutes evidence of regression.