Latest news with #ZeidaneInoussa
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Swansea poised to sign Kilmarnock striker Wales
Swansea City are close to completing the signing of Kilmarnock striker Bobby 19-year-old is out of contract this summer, but Swansea will pay a compensation fee for a player who has come through Kilmarnock's season comes to an end on Sunday when they play Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, with Wales' transfer likely to be finalised once that game is out of the way and he has completed a Swansea started Kilmarnock's win against Dundee last weekend, but was an unused substitute in Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at has scored five goals in 33 games this season for Kilmarnock, who will finish ninth in the Scottish top flight having pulled clear of relegation danger. Wales netted 12 goals in 24 third-tier appearances for Alloa during a loan spell last season.A Scotland Under-19 international, Wales has been tipped for senior honours on the back of his breakthrough season at this month he was named Kilmarnock's Young Player of the Year for the 2024-25 March, Kilmarnock boss Derek McInness said he would be "devastated" should Wales leave the club, but he is also set to depart this summer to take over at Wales deal will be the second agreed by Swansea since the Championship season ended earlier this month, with Zeidane Inoussa on the way from BK Hacken.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Swansea City signing tipped for Premier League as fans told what to expect
The season might be done and dusted, but for Swansea City, there is plenty of hard work ahead over the coming months. The summer transfer window hasn't always been the most pleasant of times for the Swans, who've stumbled their way through several underwhelming pre-season recruitment drives in recent years. However, there's a growing feeling that this one could be different, with the club making a couple of really promising early moves. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone READ MORE: Today's Cardiff City news as new name linked with Bluebirds job and club should be doing 'way, way better' READ MORE: Man Utd may be banned from Champions League next season if they win Europa League The Swans have already sealed one capture in the form of Zeidane Inoussa, and are still expecting another in the form of 19-year-old forward Bobby Wales, who was recently named Kilmarnock's Young Player of the Year. But there's an incoming that has been in the pipeline for much, much longer. Melker Widell's impending arrival this summer is certainly a hotly-anticipated one. Indeed, Swans fans have been waiting the best part of four months already, and will have to wait just a little bit longer before he finally pulls on the shirt. The midfielder has previously been tipped as a target for clubs in the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A, and Swansea felt signing him in January and then loaning him back to current side AaB Aalborg was the only way of edging them in front of the competition to get a deal done. He's now set to take his place in what's likely to be a new-look Swans midfield next term. Swansea have made no secret of the fact they'd like to have Nottingham Forest loanee Lewis O'Brien back for another season. But if a move were to happen, it would most likely be another loan, and would most likely not happen until the latter stages of the window. Both are very big ifs, and O'Brien's farewell message on social media has already been interpreted by many as a permanent one. It's a shame, as bringing him back would certainly make Swansea's squad better, regardless of what other business they may have lined up for the next few weeks. But as Bold's Kristian Porse points out, the incoming Widell could potentially soften the blow of losing him by bringing many of the same qualities to the table. "I think he's the best example of a number eight you can find," he tells WalesOnline. "He's a box-to-box midfielder. "He runs a lot and he's quite good in the duels. At some point in the season he was the player with the most duels won in the league. "He's a very dynamic player and he's probably more offensive than defensive in the way he plays. He's dangerous around the box and he has a really good right foot." Widell is the latest foreign import to make the move to SA1, and will hope to be one of the success stories from an international recruitment drive that's brought, it's fair to say, rather mixed success over the last few windows. "The Championship is a tough league and I've not seen many examples of players coming from the Danish league, going there and doing well," Porse adds. "I thinks he's capable of coping. It could be a good match because he has the ability to play that kind of football. But I have also seen other players with the same abilities and still they have struggled to suit the style. "It's a league that's very difficult to be clever in. There are so many games, so many teams, and there can be many duels. A lot of kick and rush. But I think he has the physicality to handle the duels, but he's also a player that wants to have the ball and create in the attacking areas." There might well be some intrigue back in Scandinavia around how Widell handles the rough and tumble of Championship football over the next few months, although it's a challenge the player himself is clearly looking forward to. "I feel I can be creative," Widell said shortly after signing. "I like to play with a lot of energy to try and take players on and play a nice style of football that people want to come to the stadium to watch. 'That combined with a lot of hard work, I hope it can be a good mixture. I try to create my own style as a player, and I like to think I have something good to offer." For now, though, there is a more pressing priority for the player and his team-mates: staying away from relegation. A 3-1 defeat to Viborg last time out has left AaB on the brink of falling out of the Danish Superliga with just two games to go. Widell's efforts have unsurprisingly been placed more firmly under the microscope in recent weeks. A single goal against Sönderjyske aside, there's a feeling the team's fortunes have coincided with a drop in form from the man many consider their star player. "AaB haven't been that good and they've struggled as a team," Porse explains. "I also think Melker has struggled a little bit in some games and now they are fighting to stay in the top flight. "He has to be one of those players that steps up because he is one of, if not the best player, and we haven't really seen that. That's perhaps one of the reasons why they're doing so badly right now. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here "I think sometimes he falls out of games, and you'll be sat there thinking 'where is he? Why haven't I noticed him yet?' "That could be because when teams play against Aalborg the other coaches do always prepare their teams to close down Melker because he is one of their best players. "He maybe has to be more consistent week in, week out, building on his performance so he never falls out of the game. His lowest barrier has to be higher." Finding an acceptable level of consistency will be integral to his hopes in the Championship, but it's important to remember that Widell's stock still remains high. In March, he was rubbing shoulders with some of the Premier League's biggest stars as he came off the bench to make his debut for Sweden. "I think he could be a Premier League player," Porse concludes. "Maybe not on the same level as someone like Alexander Isak, who for me is probably the best striker in the league right now. "But I think he could be a player that's part of a team lower down the Premier League in the future." After such a strong end to the season, Swansea will be hoping they can be the ones to help deliver that dream next step.
Wales Online
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
The targets Swansea City could return for after bids knocked back and stars now free to leave
The targets Swansea City could return for after bids knocked back and stars now free to leave Several familiar faces could well be up for grabs this summer Joe Low could be among those up for grabs this summer (Image: FAW ) Swansea City have so far wasted little time in getting their transfer business under way this summer, but there's still plenty of work to be done over the coming weeks. The Swans are expected to follow-up the capture of Zeidane Inoussa with a move for Kilmarnock's teenage forward Bobby Wales, and one suspects Richard Montague and co have their eyes on a number of other targets, as they bid to assemble a squad capable of marking its mark under boss Alan Sheehan next term. And while Montague might well bring his own ideas, many of which are data-driven, to the table, there might just be a few familiar names in the mix. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here The Swans allowed several targets to slip through their fingers during the January transfer window, but a few of them could well be made available again over the coming weeks. Ethan Galbraith Swansea had initially identified the Northern Irish international as a potential summer target anyway, but as an increasingly farcical January window wore on, he soon shot up the list of priorities. Swansea had a £750,000 bid for the 23-year-old knocked back on deadline day, and may well have make a more substantial offer if they are to get him over the line this time around given the player's rise in stock. Article continues below Galbraith has six goals and seven assists to his name this season, and his current deal in east London is actually up this summer, but the club are understood to have an option for another year, which potentially strengthens their hand. Indeed, there's already a feeling he might well be too expensive for the Swans, particularly if the O's win promotion to the Championship. Should Orient stay in League One, it could potentially aid Swansea's cause, but a deal would nevertheless likely take a fair amount of work. Hector Kyprianou The midfielder was identified as a potential target towards the end of the January window, with the Swans similarly seeing a bid knocked back. Now, Peterborough United have confirmed the 23-year-old is set to leave the club for absolutely nothing this summer, which could well pique the interest of the Swans once more. Kyprianou was a key player for the East Anglians, racking 40 appearances and netting five goals. The door could now be open for a move to south Wales, although a potential stumbling block could be the level of interest from elsewhere, with the Cyprus international likely to have caught the eye of several potential suitors. As he turns 24 before his contract with Posh officially expires, he can also be snapped up without the need for a compensation fee. Bobby Clark The Swans were initially very confident of getting a loan deal over the line towards the end of January, only for the move to collapse in farcical circumstances on deadline. Clark's current club, Red Bull Salzburg, had reached the maximum number of players allowed to be loaned out by the time Swansea kicked on with their approach, meaning the Austrians were left demanding a permanent move at the 11th hour. Swansea simply couldn't meet the terms Salzburg were demanding, and the player ended up staying, and has since gone on to make 25 outings for the club. However, he could soon be up for grabs again, with Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung claiming he could be made available for loan this summer. It remains to be seen whether Swansea will return to the table for the 20-year-old, but hopefully they will do their homework before any fresh approach. Joe Low The Wales international was unquestionably Swansea's top target in the last window, but their extensive negotiations to try to thrash out a deal with Wycombe Wanderers ultimately proved fruitless. Swansea had two bids rejected for the defender, who was understood to be open to the move, but the situation around his contract appeared to muddy the waters significantly. Article continues below The 23-year-old is coming to the end of his current deal with the Chairboys, but any club wanting to sign him will have to fork out a compensation fee. As it stands, Wanderers believe they can bank at least £400,000 at tribunal, and even more should they win promotion to the Championship. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone As such, and given his importance to the team, there was little appetite to sell the defender before the end of the season, and should he help the team navigate their way through the play-offs their decision may well prove vindicated. Even so, it seems highly likely he will leave Adams Park one way or the other this summer.
Wales Online
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Swansea City announce first summer signing in early statement of intent
Swansea City announce first summer signing in early statement of intent The Swans have moved quickly to get their summer business under way and have announced their first signing of the window Swansea City signing Zeidane Inoussa (Image: Swansea City ) Swansea City have wasted little time in getting their summer transfer plans under way, with the club having announced the signing of Zeidane Inoussa. The 22-year-old winger has joined from Swedish club BK Hacken for an undisclosed fee, however it is understood that the Swans have forked out what has been described as a "significant" sum. Inoussa represents Alan Sheehan's first piece of business since being appointed head coach on a permanent basis, with the Irishman wanting to continue the club's excellent end-of-season form into next term. Head coach Sheehan said: 'It's important that we carry this season's momentum into next, and getting our first signing done this early is great. I'm looking forward to working with Zeidane. "We want to be an aggressive team with and without the ball, and we believe he has all the attributes to do that and to make us better.' The Sweden under-21 international left Stockholm in 2019 to join French outfit Caen. While with the Normandy club, he enjoyed loan spells in Spain with Real Murcia and Valencia CF Mestalla, the Spanish giants' reserve team. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here Article continues below He returned to his boyhood club, Brommapojkarna, in Sweden, in 2023 before being snapped up by top-flight outfit BK Hacken last season. He has impressed in the Allsvenskan, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in all competitions for the club and catching the eye in the process. Director of football Richard Montague expressed his delight at starting the summer transfer business so early and believes the left-winger will add real quality, saying: 'Zeidane gives us something different to what we've had this season. "We hope that he's a player who will get fans off their seats. "We're delighted to have completed this deal so early, and we believe it will help us to hit the ground running in August.' Inoussa, who will officially sign on July 1, will be joined in SA1 this summer by his compatriot Melker Widell, who agreed a move in the last transfer window before being loaned back to his Danish club, AaB, until the end of the campaign. For Sheehan, getting his ducks in a row is paramount for continuing the positive momentum which he built up in the final months of the season, offering stability and impressive results following Luke Williams' dismissal. This summer, he will have the opportunity to build the squad in his own vision, to an extent, and ensure the club can hit the ground running on the first day of the Championship season. "A good pre-season is key," he said in his first interview after being given the job permanently. "We're going to have new faces, and there will be people obviously leaving the building so it will be somewhat of a new group. "We've been working already with Adam (Worth), Richard (Montague) and James (Morgan-Snowley) in meetings and they're really determined to put a competitive team in place for the Championship, and recruit some players that fit in with what we want to do. Article continues below "We want to be a very competitive team in the Championship, which we have been now for a while. So we want to build on that and make it better and tweak little improvements all over the place." Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Swansea close to deal for winger Inoussa
Swansea City are close to agreeing a deal for BK Hacken winger Zeidane Inoussa. The Championship club are expected to pay a sizeable fee for 22-year-old Inoussa, who is poised to become the first signing of the Alan Sheehan era. A Sweden Under-21 international, Inoussa left his homeland to join Caen as a teenager and got his first taste of senior football with the French club. He had loan spells with Real Murcia and Valencia's second-string side before returning to Sweden to play for Brommapojkarna in 2023. Inoussa moved to Hacken last year and has since scored nine goals in 23 appearances. He has been linked with a number of clubs including Celtic, but his move to Swansea could be confirmed early next week. Inoussa will be joined in Wales this summer by fellow countryman Melker Widell, who agreed a move in the last transfer window. Swansea are also lining up a move for Kilmarnock striker Bobby Wales. Latest Swansea City news, analysis and fan views
