"Would be absolutely devastated" - Swansea City man tipped for reluctant summer transfer exit | OneFootball

The Portuguese has been a solid performer since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium last summer

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…

After seeing Matt Grimes depart for Championship rivals Coventry City in the recent winter transfer window, there will be plenty associated with Swansea City hoping that their club manages to keep hold of their top assets when the summer comes.

The metronomic midfielder joined the Sky Blues after a decade in South Wales, having racked up over 300 appearances for the Jacks across the top two divisions in that time, and left plenty of supporters perplexed at the decision to sell him to a fellow second tier outfit.

With a number of players on their books that could be catching the eye over the course of the current campaign, there will be plenty of hope that City manage to avoid a similar scenario during the off-season, and manage to keep hold of their top talents for the foreseeable future.

There is always potential for other clubs to come sniffing though, and we spoke to Football League World’s resident Swans fan Will Hughes about who he expects to attract interest in the coming months.

Gonçalo Franco, Swansea City performances will surely attract summer interest

Luke Williams’ side claimed a first win of the calendar year on Sunday, as the out of form Swans travelled to Ashton Gate to defeat Bristol City 1-0, and put an end to a run of five straight defeats in all competitions.

While Josh Tymon will get the plaudits for the only goal of the game against the Robins, it proved to be the latest demonstration of the talent and Gonçalo Franco has in his boots, with the Portuguese dictating play in the middle of the park, and cancelling out the opposition when out of possession.

Having been brought in from Moreirense in his homeland last summer, the 24-year-old has offered a reassuring presence in the engine room for the Swans, while his tenacity without the ball gives them that extra bite that they so often crave.

Apart from the centre-backs, no City player touched the ball more in the weekend’s win, while Franco also topped his team mates in terms of tackles and interceptions, as he helped his side cling on to three precious points against their foes across the bridge.

In terms of all-round ability, the midfielder seems a step above everyone else at the club right now, and Hughes is of the feeling that their recent recruit might not be a player that hangs around in Wales all that long.

When asked which player is likely to have most clubs after him in the summer, FLW's aforementioned fan pundit Will said: “For me, there is only one player that is going to generate the most interest, and that is Gonçalo Franco.

“He has been nothing short of a sensation since joining from the top division in Portugal, he is an absolute pitbull in the middle of that midfield.

“He runs and runs and runs; he would run through a brick wall if it was in front of him, and he has added a couple of goals to his game recently as well.

“He is a leader on the pitch and he leads by example, so for me I think we are going to do very well to keep hold of him.

“If we can keep hold of him for next season I think that is really good from the club, but I am not expecting that we will."

Flynn Downes comparison made as Gonçalo Franco blossoms at Swansea City

Such is their obsession with a stylish brand of football, Swansea are a team that have been blessed with a plethora of classy midfield operators over the years.

Whether it is the ever-dependability of Grimes, the nonstop energy of Joe Allen, or the vision and technique of current Southampton man Flynn Downes [pictured], the Welsh side certainly have an eye for that lynchpin in the centre of the park, and Franco could well be the next on the conveyor belt.

The latter of that triumvirate only appeared in white for a single season after arriving from Ipswich Town, with Premier League side West Ham United soon snapping him up, after seeing the quality he had in his boots.

That scenario is one that Hughes is also envisioning with Swansea’s Portuguese playmaker this year, and with the departure of Grimes as well, it would create a chasm in the centre of the park that would need to be addressed during the off-season.

The City fan continued: “The fact that Matt Grimes has gone will heighten us wanting to keep Franco now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a couple of big offers in for him.

“It is a bit like when we had Flynn Downes, who left after one season, and I actually think Franco is a better player, and I think he has a higher ceiling than Downes, and that is saying something, because I absolutely love Flynn Downes and rate him very highly.

“The only other player I could maybe say would be Liam Cullen. We have just tied him down to a new contract, he has scored a lot of goals this season from that ten role.

“I think Franco would be the number one for me, and I would be absolutely devastated to let him go, and if we do let him go do I trust Andy Coleman and the board to bring an adequate replacement in?

“I think the answer is a big, fat, no.”