Swansea City have every reason to their guns and hold out for a higher fee for Joel Piroe this summer
Joel Piroe’s future has certainly become the big talking point in Swansea City’s summer.
The striker seems destined to leave the club, with a host of sides circling over the last couple of weeks. Atalanta and Leicester City have both held further discussions over a move during the last week, while Everton, Nottingham Forest and Southampton have also made enquiries. Leeds United also appear to be admirers.
The impending arrival of Blackpool’s Jerry Yates for £2.5million has only further intensified speculation around Piroe’s future, although there’s no indication at this stage that this incoming will having any bearing on his situation.
After all, Michael Duff arguably needed a new striker anyway, regardless of Piroe’s future.
Nevertheless, most Swans fans have, whether they like to admit it or not, accepted there is little chance of the Dutchman staying beyond the close of the summer window.
For many, attention is now turning to just how much money the club can squeeze out of a potential exit.
It’s a point particularly pertinent to Duff himself, who may well see a potential sale as the ideal opportunity to fund his rebuild of this squad.
The Swans had previously slapped a £20million price tag on the striker last summer, which perhaps served its purpose in warding off interest. Long-term admirers Leicester City were among those to balk at such a valuation, perhaps viewing it as too high a price for a player who had only one season in the Championship to his name.
Having banged in another 20 goals in all competitions since then, those concerns have surely, to some extent at least, melted away.
But while Piroe’s stock is still sky high, there’s been a real feeling that with one year left on his current deal, and with seemingly no chance of an extension this summer, his valuation has likely tumbled.
After all, losing Piroe for nothing next summer would be hugely out of character. Scratch that – it’s unthinkable.
Swansea are subsequently under real pressure to sell this summer and, as a general rule of thumb, pressure to sell usually knocks the price of player down.
However, the last couple of weeks has perhaps altered the landscape.
The growing number of potential suitors impressed by Piroe’s antics over the last couple of years could yet spark the bidding war needed to offset any depreciation in value.
The more interest, the more more confident Swansea may be in sticking to their guns on their initial price tag.
Movement elsewhere in the market arguably strengthens their position further.
Former Swans striker Viktor Gyokeres (remember him?) is poised for a £20million move to Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon this summer, despite also being in the last year of his contract.
The Swede’s goalscoring record is strikingly similar to Piroe too. In the last two seasons, he’s bagged 40 goals for the Sky Blues, and many Swans fans will be watching his move from the sidelines, wondering whether there’s any reason their club can’t stand firm and negotiate a similar deal.
If they can, the sting of losing their star striker might just hurt a little less.
