Swansea narrowly avoided relegation in 2016-17. How will they do in their first full campaign under manager Paul Clement?
INS: Roque Mesa (£10.6 million, Las Palmas), Erwin Mulder (free, Heerenveen), Tammy Abraham (loan, Chelsea)
OUTS: Jack Cork (£7.74 million, Burnley), Bafetimbi Gomis (£2.13 million, Galatasaray), Modou Barrow (£1.45 million, Reading), Liam Shephard (freer, Peterborough), Franck Tabanou (free, Guingamp), Borja Baston (loan, Malaga), Jordi Amat (loan, Real Betis)
THE STORY: Swansea had Paul Clement to thank for eventually finishing seven points clear of relegation last season. The former Real Madrid assistant repaired the damage done by Bob Bradley’s ill-fated tenure in charge.
Clement’s men maintained their Premier League status thanks to impressive performances from some key players. Among them, attacking midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson continued to be the creative fulcrum of the team.
Meanwhile, things at the back were secured by the emergence of young center-back Alfie Mawson. The 23-year-old has quickly become the Swans’ talisman defensively.
Clement’s next task is to get Swansea avoiding a relegation battle and instead competing for mid-table comfort. He used his connections in La Liga to land midfielder Roque Mesa from Las Palmas to help the effort.
The Swans also secured a loan deal for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham. He will be under pressure to deliver goals, particularly with question marks surrounding Fernando Llorente.
Towering target man Llorente is likely to miss the start of the new season with a broken arm, per BBC Sport. His absence may mean a less direct approach going forward.
Fortunately, Swansea boast the talent in midfield to keep the ball on the deck and play though most defenses. The bid to boss possession will start with new arrival Mesa.
Swansea’s third-most expensive signing in history established a niche for quality in possession in Spain, per Andrew Gwilym of Wales Online:
"Mesa is renowned for his passing ability, having had the fourth-highest pass completion rate in La Liga last season, and he has been compared to former Barcelona great Xavi.…He would appear to be a good fit for Swansea City. Las Palmas have received plenty of praise for their passing play in Spain, and his ability to keep play ticking over and dictate the tempo will bring to mind a stockier version of club stalwart Leon Britton."
The comparison to Britton is an apt one. However, Swansea’s 34-year-old pass-master is still in the fold after signing a new deal this summer.
Britton and Mesa aren’t the Swans’ only accomplished technicians in midfield, though. There is also hard-working Dutchman Leroy Fer. He is joined by underrated and intelligent Ki Sung-yueng.
Such is the quality in the middle at his disposal, Clement was content to let Jack Cork join Burnley.
Yet it’s Sigurdsson who remains the catalyst for Swansea’s attacking play. The Icelandic maestro’s craft, vision and keen eye for goal are major assets in between the midfield and forward lines.
However, keeping the 27-year-old has proved a problem this summer. Premier League rivals Everton have keenly pursued Sigurdsson.
In fact, Toffees manager Ronald Koeman has suggested he is hopeful a transfer agreement can still be reached, according to Phil Kirkbride of the Liverpool Echo.
With or without Sigurdsson, the Swans are likely to play a possession-based game in the absence of Llorente’s aerial power and ability to play with his back to goal.
Wanting to play between lines more often may explain the interest in Spanish striker Adrian Lopez. The Porto man is a target for Swansea, as well as Deportivo La Coruna, per Marca, via Dominic Booth of WalesOnline.
Lopez has been showcasing his skill on loan with Villarreal. His spell with the Yellow Submarine has proved the 29-year-old is still a perceptive mover off the ball. He also has sneaky pace and composure in front of goal.
Landing Lopez would be something of a coup for a team potentially short of enough quality up top. Llorente’s experience and class will be missed. Meanwhile, Abraham is just 19 and is unproven at this level, despite thriving for Bristol City in the Championship last season.
If Swansea lose Sigurdsson and don’t bring in support for Abraham, goals will surely be hard to come by.
Struggling up front will increase the burden on the defence. Mawson should continue making strides forward, at least.
His ability to boss the aerial duels will be vital for helping former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. The Polish stopper has had some fine moments in recent seasons, but Clement still felt compelled to bring in former Heerenveen keeper Erwin Mulder on a free transfer.
KEY PLAYERS: With the picture unclear up front, Swansea must be stronger at the back and in the middle this season. It means both Mawson and Fer need to deliver to outstanding campaigns.
Mawson seems primed for a breakout season after featuring for England at this summer’s European U21 Championship. He’s a physical defender — tough in the tackle, quick across the ground and aggressive in the air.
Where Mawson needs to improve is on the ball. He must show more confidence in his technique, particularly for a team likely to want to play out from the back.
If Mawson continues developing as expected, the back four should be a strength for Clement’s team.
Even so, midfield is where the Swans can expect to win and lose matches this season. Maybe the most influential figure in the middle will be Fer.
He’s had stops at both Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City, but the 27-year-old’s versatility will prove invaluable to Clement. Fer possesses the industry, power and technical quality to thrive at any spot in the middle.
His ability to score goals will prove crucial if Sigurdsson is no longer around. Fer’s penchant for getting forward will provide the obvious foil for Mesa’s flair for controlling possession from deep.
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THE MANAGER: Clement came to Swansea with a solid reputation as a No. 2 man. He had worked with Carlo Ancelotti in both Madrid and at Bayern Munich.
Guiding the Swans to safety was a creditable first achievement. However, Swansea truthfully possessed too much quality to be mired in the danger zone in the first place.
Now it’s up to Clement to prove he can get more out of this talent. He ought to be able to push Swansea closer to the top 10 and compete with likes of Bournemouth and Southampton.
Remember, this club finished no lower than 12th in four seasons from 2011-15. The Swans also lifted the League Cup during this period.
Players such as Britton and Ki played their parts in those successes. Clement would be wise to include both men more often this season and reap the benefit of their creative talents.
The manager merely justified some of the fanfare that came with his arrival last season. Now he must prove he can do more with a full season.
BEST CASE: Mesa proves an instant hit in England’s top flight and leads a gifted midfield to a finish in the top 10.
WORST CASE: Sigurdsson leaves and goals are in short supply among a threadbare forward line, as the Swans become embroiled in an even tougher fight to beat the drop.