"A massive asset" - Transfer prediction delivered on Swansea City's Flynn Downes replacement | OneFootball

FLW's Swansea City fan pundit has discussed the club's best bit of business during the summer transfer window.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Swansea City were fairly active during the summer transfer window, bringing in several new players to strengthen Luke Williams' squad ahead of his first full season in charge at the Swansea.com Stadium.

After joining Swansea City from League Two side Notts County midway through last season, Luke Williams made a number of additions to his squad this summer during his second transfer window as head coach of the club.

The Swans brought in a total of six new players on a permanent basis, including Florian Bianchini, Goncalo Franco and Ji-sung Eom, while Nelson Abbey and Myles Peart-Harris joined the club on loan from Olympiacos and Brentford respectively.

Williams' side have made an average start to the 2024/25 campaign, with their convincing win over Preston North End overshadowed by defeats in difficult away games against Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion, while the first South Wales derby of the season ended in a draw.

Swansea will be hoping to compete at the top end of the Championship table this season after an underwhelming 14th-place finish last term, and their new signings could be key to making the difference if they are going to have a more successful campaign this time around.

Fan pundit shares thoughts on Swansea City's business this summer

Football League World's Swansea fan pundit, James Fleming, has given his verdict on Swansea's best bit of business during the summer transfer window.

"I think the obvious person who takes the crown for the best business this summer was Goncalo Franco," said Fleming.

"He has been excellent since we signed him from Moreirense in Portugal. He has fitted right into our midfield next to Matt Grimes - the perfect partner for Grimes, I think.

"We have needed a player since Flynn Downes left the club to fulfil his role, and Jay Fulton and Joe Allen are not really that type of player, they are more similar to Grimes in that aspect, so I think getting someone in like Franco, who does the dirty work in the midfield, will just pick up the ball and start moving it forward, is exactly what we've needed since we lost Downes.

"In the first four games, he has already shown that he is going to be a fantastic asset for us, and I think only getting him for an alleged fee of around £2 million is an absolutely fantastic bit of business.

"He will either be a great part of our team for years to come, or he will become a massive asset for us to sell on in a couple of years."

Swansea City fans will hope Goncalo Franco can help them climb the table

Swansea have now entered their seventh consecutive season in the Championship, the same number of seasons that they spent in the Premier League before they were relegated from the top flight in 2018.

After reaching the play-offs twice in their first three seasons back in the second tier, the highest the Swans have finished in the three full seasons since then is 10th.

Swansea supporters will hope that Williams can mount a promotion push in the near future, and players like Goncalo Franco could prove to be crucial if they are going to do so.