New Swansea City head coach Russell Martin has insisted that Matt Grimes is committed to the club whilst he's still under contract amid strong suggestions that he is close to securing a transfer away from the Liberty Stadium.
Martin arrived from MK Dons this week to replace Steve Cooper, who resigned as head coach following a disagreement in which the direction the club was heading in.
One of the issues was the fact that Grimes could not be tied down to a longer deal and that the 26-year-old seemed set to depart for a transfer fee this summer instead of penning a new contract or running it down next summer.
Rumours soon emerged of Fulham being interested in securing the signature of Swansea's captain, and reports indicated last week that the midfielder was set for a medical at the west London club.
That was delayed because of Grimes contracting COVID-19, but the Daily Mail have suggested that the transfer is still set to be completed once he has recovered from the virus.
Whilst he refused to shed any light on the current transfer situation, Martin talked up the Swans skipper despite the fact he could be exiting the club very soon.
He’s a fantastic player," Martin said of Grimes, per WalesOnline.
"If it comes to a point where Matt has left, it’s because the deal is right for the football club.
"I’ve got a guy - whilst he’s here - he’s fully committed. He loves it here and he really enjoys playing for the football club."
The Verdict
Martin's words definitely read as though something is going to happen in the very near future, however until it's all signed and sealed Grimes remains a Swansea player.
Despite that and Martin stating that the 26-year-old is committed though, it would be a real shock if he's selected for action when they travel up to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
It's been a good six years at the Liberty Stadium for Grimes since he secured a switch from Exeter City, even though there has been a number of loan spells away from the club, but he's developed into a top Championship midfielder and Fulham will no doubt be gaining a top asset to add to their already stacked midfield when the deal inevitably goes through.