Swansea City head into the upcoming Premier League season with a clean slate having survived a tumultuous 2013/14 campaign that included a destructive Europa League stint, persistent injuries to talisman Michu and the firing of manager Michael Laudrup.
With Garry Monk firmly installed at the helm the Swans have enjoyed an active summer transfer window where Michu was loaned out to Napoli and replaced by French striker Bafetimbi Gomis, Ben Davies and Michel Vorm were effectively swapped for Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lukasz Fabianski was signed from Arsenal. Other transfers of interest include picking up speedy Ecuadorian winger Jefferson Montero to replace Pablo Hernandez and Ki Sung-Yueng returning from his loan spell at Sunderland.
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Transfers In: Gylfi Sigurdsson ($13.5 million from Tottenham), Lukasz Fabianski (free from Arsenal), Bafetimbi Gomis (free from Lyon), Jefferson Montero ($6.7 million from Monarcas), Marvin Emnes ($2.3 million from Middlesbrough), Ki Sung-Yueng (return from Sunderland loan)
Transfers Out: Ben Davies ($16.9 to Tottenham), Michel Vorm ($7.6 million to Tottenham), Michu (loan to Napoli), Pablo Hernandez ($6.7 million to Al-Arabi), Alejandro Pozuelo (loan to Rayo Vallecano), Jonathan De Guzman (return to Villareal from loan)
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Last Season: Swansea ended up 12th in the Premier League table last year, a finish best described by the saying “looks can be deceiving”. It was touch-and-go for the Swans throughout the season and while they ended up mid-table they were only five points clear of the drop.
Star Player: Wilfried Bony
Of the few positive things to come out of last season, Bony’s impact at the Liberty definitely topped the charts. With 16 goals in the Premier League (and 26 in all competitions), the Ivorian established himself as one of the league’s most dangerous and dependable strikers. Impossible to knock off the ball, Bony devastates opponents with his pace, power and clinical finishing. Arriving in South Wales last summer, Bony wasted no time picking up the slack for the injured Michu beasting opponents and turning the heads of many clubs in the summer transfer market. This year the weight once again fall on Bony’s shoulders to produce the majority of his side’s goals although the arrival of French international Bafetimbi Gomis from Lyon should help reduce the burden.
Coach’s Corner: Garry Monk
Monk is a bit of an enigma when it comes to Premier League managers. He holds his cards tight in interviews, is well controlled during matches and generally flies under the radar. Credit is due for the manner in which he stepped into the managerial role last year when Michael Laudrup was fired. Those were big shoes to fill and the club so easily could have packed it in and tanked into relegation. But Monk kept his squad motivated and continued with the same attractive style of play for which the club has become known. It’ll be interesting to see what he can get out of them this year.
PST Predicts: With a proper footballing style well-ingrained into the club and a roster of impressive talent that includes Bony, Sigurdsson, Gomis, Jonjo Shelvey, Ki and Ashley Williams, Swansea once again will be targeting a Top 10 finish. Re-signing Jonathan De Guzman will be key to making that goal a reality, as will the impact Gomis can have in the Premier League either as a replacement for Bony or, depending on formation, a potential French-speaking strike partner.
