These are your Swansea City headlines on Tuesday, April 26.
Left-back linked and Oba wanted
Football League World report that Swansea are tracking left-back Matthew Sorinola. The 21-year-old currently plays for Belgium outfit Royale Union Saint-Gilloise but crucially turned out for Martin at MK Dons.
He has played 16 times this term, scoring once, and featured in 43 games during the 2020/21 season under the head coach.
The defender, who can also play wingback, started his career at Fulham and came through the age-grade ranks in west London. Sorinola has failed to start any games this term for the Belgian side.
Martin is looking for competition for newly-signed Nathanael Ogbeta in SA1, with Jake Bidwell having departed last January and Ryan Manning seen as more of a centre-back.
Meanwhile, the same publication state that top-flight clubs Brighton and Watford are tracking Swans striker Michael Obafemi.
The ex-Southampton man has hit serious form since the turn of the year after a slow start to life in SA1. He's scored 11 goals so far this term, and his displays haven't gone unnoticed, with ex-Swans boss Graham Potter reportedly monitoring his situation.
Darling named in team of year
MK Dons centre-back Harry Darling has been named in the EFL League One team of the year. Darling has been on Swansea's radar for some time and will likely be of interest to Russell Martin again this summer, with the head coach keen on strengthening his ball-playing centre-back options for next term.
The pair worked together during Martin's time in Milton Keynes and a reunion could be on the cards, and Darling's form for the third-tier side has seen him included in the best XI of the campaign. The defender scored a superb goal at the weekend against Morecambe, running from his own half before slotting perfectly past the away team keeper.
"I'm buzzing," he said of being named in the league's top XI. "Obviously the season hasn't finished yet, but on the whole it's been a good year so far and hopefully we can finish strong."
On his goal at the weekend, he said: "I think it might be the best goal of my career so far! I don't know if I'll top that. I wanted to add goals to my game this year and luckily I've done that."
His manager, Liam Manning, has been delighted with his development over the last season. “He's really progressed at it this year,” Manning said of his defender. “He’s done it a few times, even in the first half he stepped in and had a shot that went just over.
“At the start of the season, he was really eager to do it, and he has the confidence and quality to do it, but now he knows when to do it. It was a perfect moment and shows the quality and physicality he has as well as the technical ability to finish with that composure as well.”
Parker expecting 'difficulties'
Cherries boss Scott Parker is anticipating "difficulties" when the two teams face off in south Wales tonight. The away team are gunning for automatic promotion from the Championship and currently sit pretty in second place, two points above Huddersfield having played two games fewer than the Terriers.
Still, they will want to put a vice-like grip on the runners-up spot tonight, and ahead of the match Parker has lauded the job Russell Martin has done in SA1.
"A tough game for us – a good side," he said. “They have a real identity about them and the way they play. Russell Martin has done a very good job there. It’s going to bring many difficulties for us going to their place because they have a real identity about them in the way they play.
“They’ll want to dominate the ball and it can stress you and cause you problems. We need to rest up now and get ready for that one.”
Meanwhile, Jamal Lowe is set for a return to Landore after sealing a move to the Cherries last summer. He says he'll be parking sentiment to one side against his former team.
“I looked out for this fixture and it’ll be nice to go back," he said. "It has to be business as usual because we need a win and a strong performance, so that’s what we’ll all be going for. Swansea are probably looking at it and not wanting to lose 4-0 again. Every game is a neutral and it doesn’t matter what happened last time.
“For us, we’ll look at that game, learn from it and try to adapt to whatever situation there is. We’ll attack it just as a neutral game. We feel comfortable playing both home and away. The recent away games at Coventry and Huddersfield in particular have been really good, but it’s just about keeping that momentum wherever we are.
“We have two away this week, the travelling fans will do their bit and we’ll make sure that we try and give them a performance and result to be happy with.”
Early team news
Swansea will be looking to avenge the 4-0 defeat suffered on the south coast earlier this season. The main team news is as follows.
Jamie Paterson is available for Swansea after missing the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough due to a knock. You can read the full update on the playmaker here. The Swans have no other injury concerns.
As for Bournemouth, Philip Billing is struggling with a back injury and will be assessed ahead of the game. Junior Stanislas will miss out after suffering a back problem having previously had hamstring, shoulder and calf injuries this season.
