Swansea have looked rejuvenated under Russell Martin and have now steadily made their way up the second tier table.

They’re now in the top half of the table and are only six points off a place in the top six – and with the kind of results the side are now getting, they could certainly make a push for promotion as the season draws on.

The Welsh outfit have a strong squad and have found goalscorers in Joel Piroe and Jamie Paterson.

But who has been linked to come in and join them for the next half of the season? Are there any names that could depart the Liberty Stadium too?

 

 

Impressive Jamie Paterson form attracts interest from elsewhere

One piece of bad news for the Swans comes from the fact that Jamie Paterson is now a target for a number of sides heading into the winter transfer window.

The attacker has been in scintillating form for the club so far this campaign and has become a key player for the club in their bid to try and push on up the table.

It appears that his fine form has not gone unnoticed elsewhere either, with The Daily Mail reporting that other Championship teams want to try and tempt the player away from Swansea when the window opens.

One of those sides is West Brom, who are desperate to get another striker and more goals in their team. They’ll be determined to land someone who can guarantee goals in the division and Paterson can – meaning they’ll be eager to land him.

Swansea then could face a battle to keep him, especially if the chance to join a side on track for promotion comes up. They won’t want to lose him though and will be doing everything in their power to keep hold of the 29-year-old.

The dilemma they will therefore face in this case comes in trying to keep hold of one of their star attackers. Paterson is so important to Swansea this season and for him to depart midway through the campaign would be a huge loss. They would struggle to replace his goals and attacking drive because there are so few players like him around – hence why there is so much interest in his services.

If they can keep him then there will be a chance for the Swans in terms of a promotion bid. If they do end up losing the 29-year-old in the winter window though, they will face a long January as they hunt for a replacement – and Russell Martin needs to not panic buy in this case, as it could end up disastrous for the side.

Swansea handed blow in pursuit of Man City man

In terms of incomings, Swansea are keeping tabs on Man City youngster James McAtee as reported by Wales Online.

With the player looking bright for the club’s academy side, the Swans have been prepared to give him a chance in the Championship for the second half of the campaign, as he looks to get more experience under his belt.

It would be an exciting signing for the Welsh outfit – but it is a move that may no longer come to fruition. Although the interest seems to still be there, there is less eagerness from Man City’s side to let the player leave according to Wales Online and that means that business might not be done in the winter window.

Pep Guardiola may instead prefer to keep him at the Etihad Stadium for now – and if that is the case, then it means Swansea will not be able to land a short-term deal for the player after all and may now have to look elsewhere.

The dilemma for Swansea then is who to turn to instead of McAtee? If he isn’t available, then who should the Swans turn to for some more attacking options in the winter window? They have Joel Piroe who is proving to be a consistent threat but if he were to suffer an injury, they want someone to be able to step in and replace him.

There are a number of teams and young players elsewhere who they could turn to instead (Eddie Nketiah isn’t getting much action at Arsenal and is proven at Championship level for example and maybe even young Kaide Gordon could be an option if he is available) so they aren’t short in terms of potential names but it is ensuring they land one and don’t end up short of options by the end of the window.

Should Swansea let Liam Cullen leave?

Liam Cullen is another potential departure for Swansea to consider, with a number of League One sides fancying a short-term deal for the player as reported by Football Insider.

The attacker is only young and a move away on a short-term basis could certainly aid him and help him in terms of getting him further experience.

However, he has proven to be a decent option from the bench for the club and it could come down to whether they want the player to go out and regularly get action and potentially return an even better player or allow him to play a bit-part role for them this campaign.

Russell Martin will have to consider whether or not he will need the player in the second half of the campaign – and where could be best for the player to continue his development.

There is certainly interest in his services though and the Swans will have to mull over which option would be more beneficial to them in both the short and long-term.