Laudrup to streamline Swansea squad

Brendan Rodgers achieved great things during his tenure as Swansea boss, guiding the Welsh side to 11th place in their first Premier League season following promotion via the playoffs.

Nevertheless, new manager Michael Laudrup, who joined the club following Rodgers’ departure to Liverpool, has made it clear that he intends to make his own mark on the Liberty Stadium side.

The Dane has already brought in a number of players all of whom he had previously encountered during his time as a manager in La Liga, including Spaniards Michu and Chico, and Dutch-Canadian free kick specialist Jonathan De Guzman. Further additions to the squad have also been reported, with rumours of a £2 million bid for West Bromwich Albion forward Simon Cox in the pipeline.

Despite these new arrivals, Laudrup has expressed his desire to trim down his squad by moving some of the players he inherited on to pastures new.

“The idea is to work with 22 or maximum 23 players, and there are a lot of reasons for that,” explained the 48 year old. “First of all, you will then have a squad where everybody feels they are close to the 18-man squad for each game.”

Swansea also have a history of blooding youngsters in the first team early to develop home grown players, such as current star and Great Britain Olympic international Joe Allen, and Laudrup has also cited this as a reason to trim down his squad.

“Another part is to do with the youngsters. If they see 25 players in the first squad they think it is very difficult to break into it. But if it is smaller...one or two of the young players can come into the first-team squad and they will be happy that it’s not impossible to get there.”

Laudrup will undoubtedly be keen to clear out any peripheral players he considers to be dead wood, but one man he may reluctantly have to let go is Allen, who has reportedly agreed personal terms on a deal to join up with former manager Rodgers at Anfield, though a transfer fee is yet to be agreed.