Swansea City director Jake Silverstein has warned supporters that the club won't always spend more than the amount they generate in player sales despite doing so in previous windows, penning a message via the club's website.

Despite cashing in on two key assets in Connor Roberts and Jamal Lowe last summer, they spent more money than they managed to receive through these sales with George Byers also moving to Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee.

The club's board have arguably gained a reputation for being willing to cash in on prized assets in recent years though, with Dan James, Oli McBurnie and Joe Rodon all securing eight-figure moves away from the Swansea.com Stadium in recent years.

Despite these sales, they haven't been able to use this money to get themselves back into the top flight, coming close twice under Steve Cooper during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns but finishing well below the top six this term.

This is perhaps understandable considering their change in style of play, though Martin may need to be heavily backed in the upcoming window if he wants to take the Swans back into the top six next term.

However, sales of key players may be needed if that is to happen, judging by his letter to supporters.

He wrote: "Off the pitch, we continue our work towards building a financially sustainable football club - this, too, takes time and hard work.

"One core principle of financial sustainability for a club like ours is a player trading model whereby we identify, develop, and eventually sell young players to boost revenues.

"While over each of the last three transfer windows we have spent more in transfer fees than we have brought in through player sales, that will not always be the case."

The Verdict:

The Swans potentially face a tough summer because they will want to keep hold of some of their most treasured assets, especially the likes of Flynn Downes and Joel Piroe who have performed excellently this season.

If they fail to keep at least one of the pair, then that could cause real instability at a crucial point of their transition phase. This is why they should be looking to keep hold of as many of their key first-teamers as possible.

If they do, Martin's summer budget may not be huge but the club's recruitment team have shown before that they can recruit gems on the cheap so that shouldn't be an issue.

The more concerning thing are the potential sales that could be on the way, but if they need to cash in on a key player to abide by the EFL's profitability and sustainability rules, then that's something they will have to do.

League rivals Reading will be forced to abide by a strict business plan this summer and it looks set to hamper them majorly considering the wage budget they have to remain within, so avoiding that at all costs will be important for the second-tier side.

If they can back Martin though, they should do so. Staying sustainable is important - but making big profits shouldn't be the board's main focus.