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SWANSEA CITY: Can the Swans cover Ayew & Williams? Is Borja the answer up front?

It's been a tough window for Swansea, with the departure of Andrew Ayew and captain Ashley Williams.

Despite many attackers arriving at the Liberty Stadium this summer, it might take until the end of the year to see if the transfer window was a success or failure.

Most Swans fans are convinced with the activity that has been completed by Francesco Guidolin, especially with the club needing one or two defensive additions in the final stages of the window.


Swansea City – 2016/17

Key signings


Borja Baston – from Atletico Madrid for £15.5m
A club-record £15.5m deal for a player who scored 18 La Liga goals on loan for Eibar is what you call value for money.

Atletico Madrid will surely regret selling Borja Baston in a few months time.

The Spaniard is yet to make an appearance for Swansea due to a thigh injury he was suffering from last month, but is expected to make his Premier League debut this weekend against Chelsea.

Without a doubt, Borja will be a fantastic signing for Swansea.


Fernando Llorente – from Sevilla for £5m
Llorente is another talented attacker from Spain's La Liga, but has had a tough time after leaving Athletic Bilbao in 2013.

After scoring only four league goals for Sevilla last season, the 31-year-old is looking to revive his last few years as a footballer at Swansea.

The former Juventus star will be aiming to complete the season with ten league goals at least.


Leroy Fer – from QPR for £4.75m
After spending the second half of last season at Swansea on loan, Fer made his move to Wales permanent a few days into the transfer window.

The Dutchman made an impressive start to the campaign, scoring the winner for Guidolin's side against Burnley with under ten minutes of the game remaining.

Also scored in the loss to Leicester City.

With Fer's reported transfer fee being under £5m, it looks like Swansea have completed a big bargain this summer.

The 26-year-old will be playing a vital role alongside Jack Cork as a double pivot in the centre of the pitch.


Mike van der Hoorn – from Ajax for £2m
Completing a move worth around £2m from Dutch giants Ajax, van der Hoorn will be looking to aim for first-team football this season once given the chance.

Guidolin currently prefers Federico Fernandez and Jordi Amat as Swansea's centre-back pairing and it could mean van der Hoorn won't be getting an opportunity to play anytime soon.

The 23-year-old still has a long career ahead of him and will be looking to impress Guidolin once a slot in the Swans line-up opens up.
50/50 signing for Swansea.



Alfie Mawson – from Barnsley for £5m
Another centre-back signing for Swansea, but not the type that Swans fans would expect to come and attempt to replace Williams.

Mawson completed 58 appearances in all competitions for Barnsley last season as the side finished sixth in League One and went on to beating Millwall to achieve Championship promotion.

Swansea may have grabbed another English star from a lower league, similar to the time they bought Williams, but only time will tell if the 22-year-old is the real deal.

It will be a waiting game for Swansea supporters to see whether Mawson has potential or not. Capable of a goal on his day, as evidenced by two in four outings for the Tykes before his move to the Liberty.


Other additions


Mark Birighitti - from Adelaide United for free
Australian goalkeeper who has been signed for depth.

25-year-old Birighitti will operate as understudy to number one gloveman Lukasz Fabianski and his deputies Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Gerhard Tremmel.


Overall


Swansea will be looking at the 206/17 season as a real chance to establish themselves in the Premier League.

The Welsh outfit have finished 11th, 9th, 12th, 8th and 12th since moving up to the elite level and are looking to secure something similar once again.

The additions of Borja and Llorente provide quality in attack and Fer is an astute signing in midfield but it is at the back and how they deal with the loss of inspirational leader Williams.


Tribal's Transfer Rating:
7/10

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Asif Norat

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