Swansea City transfer window already 'ahead of schedule' as Williams provides contracts update
Luke Williams says Swansea City are already working hard to ensure they hit the ground running in the summer transfer window - and says he's received assurances that there will be money to spend.
The Swans are poised for a significant overhaul this summer. As things stand, six loan players are poised to return to their parent clubs, although there is some enthusiasm to keep goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on for another season.
Several others are also coming to the end of their current contracts, meaning this summer is likely to be a very busy one, and Williams says there has already been plenty of work.
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"I would like to think we are very well prepared and organised," he said. "There are factors out of your control. If players have options and don't want to commit to anything too quickly and agents are involved and so on. But from our point of view, it would be great if we can be as prepared as possible, which seems to me, from what I am seeing we are getting there ahead of schedule."
The club spent around £8million last summer as part of a recruitment drive that yielded 16 players for the senior squad, and Williams says there will be further cash to spend this time around.
"There's money at the club," Williams added. "It’s more an issue of the structure. The Financial Fair Play. We have to work within a framework the same as all the teams.
"We have to be smart about what we spend as well. It's much more important that we spend any money really wisely and accurately, than it is to just throw money around. But there isn't a problem for this club and the level we're operating in. We're fine with spending money if it's the right player. But that's the most important thing, we have to now be really accurate with which players we bring in."
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Marc Leonard is one of the latest names to have been linked ahead of the summer, with the 22-year-old set to leave the Seagulls on a permanent deal in this window.
It's understood Leonard has attracted interest from a host of League One clubs and several sides in the Championship, although the extent of any interest from Swansea isn't known at this stage.
Aberdeen's Connor Barron certainly is a player on the radar. The midfielder was the subject of an unsuccessful bid back in January, and it's highly likely the club will look to revisit a possible move in this window, particularly given the player is out of contract at the end of the season. However, it seems likely they will face competition for his signature.
As well as work on new recruits, there is still huge uncertainty hanging over the out-of-contract stars in the squad.
Przemyslaw Placheta, Kyle Naughton, Liam Walsh, Joe Allen, and Jamie Paterson are all coming to the end of their current contracts, and there's seemingly been little progress in tying any of them down to new deals at this stage.
However, Williams says there could well be a breakthrough on some members of the squad soon, adding that discussions with some players have already taken place.
"We have to have balance in the squad, and for that you need a mix of senior players, a core group of players that are probably approaching their peak, and young players with a point to prove that are ambitious, but maybe can't play all the minutes," he said. "You have to balance the squad.
"To do that we need to think about every single player, whether or not they add to us overall. Whether they balance the squad correctly, and whether or not the contract is one that makes sense and fits into the structure.
"There are a lot of things that go into that and selecting the right players, and we want to do it thoroughly. All these things are getting closer. All of these decisions are getting closer. But I think we need to concentrate all of our efforts on the game, and then we have a longer week next week to look at things.
"We are having discussions, but we are not far enough down the road for anything to be announced. But plenty of discussions and trying to map things out. A lot of people in the room can have a visual and give their feedback and experience. That's the way to try to do it to be as thoroughly prepared as we can."
Discussions are also ongoing over a new long-term deal for Liam Cullen. The striker is also technically a free agent in the summer, although the club do have an option for another 12 months that is likely to be triggered.