Swansea has ruled out a move for Negredo

Michael Laudrup has ruled Swansea out of a move for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo, saying the club do not have the financial muscle to compete for the Spain international.



Laudrup is known to be keen to bring in Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo, but reports in Spain had suggested Swansea had entered the race to snap up £13million-rated forward, who has scored 18 goals in La Liga this season.



But with Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle reportedly among the clubs monitoring 27-year-old Negredo, Laudrup does not believe the Liberty Stadium will be his destination.



He said: "I don't think that's possible because there are other teams that want him and we are talking double figures in terms of a transfer fee.



"It is out of our league, we cannot pay 10, 12 or £14million for a player."



Laudrup is keen to bolster his striking options for next season to ease the burden on Michu, who has scored 21 goals during a stunning maiden campaign in English football.



While the Spaniard has primarily been used as a striker due to his goalscoring record, he prefers to play as an attacking midfielder.



"Michu has done way beyond what any of us could ask of him," said Laudrup.



"He has scored 17 league goals and over 20 in all competitions.



"It is true in the last four or five games he has had chances he would have scored earlier in the season, but when you are talking about players like that there will be moments they just touch the ball and it will go in, other times it won't.



"But he is always there when there is a chance. Against Norwich he had two or three chances and against Tottenham as well.



"Maybe he is not scoring now as he did before, but that is because it was way above what we could ask from him.



"He is our goalscorer but we cannot put everything on his shoulders, everyone has to score. But when there is a chance you can count on him to be there."



Swansea travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday looking to end a run of five games without a win.



The Swans are undefeated in their three games against the Blues this season, keeping two clean sheets in the Capital One Cup semi-final meetings between the sides.



"We have done well against them, and this is our fourth game this season.



"It was an intense game in the league here where we got a late equaliser from Pablo Hernandez to make it 1-1.



"The two semi-finals were special games because of their importance to the club, but we will play a team who it seems are almost playing every day at the moment.



"They have one foot in the Europa League final, but Sunday is maybe more important for them. They are playing for a Champions League spot, which for a club of their size is most important."

Liverpool face battle to sign Swansea's Ashley William

Liverpool will face a battle to land summer target Ashley Williams with Arsenal ready to step up their interest in the Swansea City defender.

The LIVERPOOL ECHO revealed last month that Williams, 28, is high on Brendan Rodgers’ shortlist as he looks to strengthen his Reds squad in the close-season.



The Wales captain is valued at around £12m by Swansea, with Rodgers keen to persuade Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owners, to sanction a deal.



Liverpool, however, value the player closer to £8m, and hope they can use his already-strong relationship with Rodgers as a tool to convince him to move to Merseyside.



Arsenal’s interest in Williams, though, is serious. Reports that the Gunners had a £9m bid rejected by Swansea in January are wide of the mark, but it is understood that they are now ready to make a formal offer, though their hopes of landing him could depend on whether or not they secure Champions League football next season.



Williams still has three years remaining on his current Swansea contract and, in a financial sense at least, the Welsh side have no pressing need to sell.



Relations between themselves and Liverpool were soured somewhat by the Reds’ pursuit of Joe Allen last summer. Swansea accused Liverpool of reneging on a written agreement not to target any of their players for a period of 12 months following Rodgers’ move to Anfield, and the Reds boss knows that Williams will not come cheap this summer.



He also knows he must convince Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, that a move for a player who will turn 29 in August fits in with the club’s policy of buying younger players with potential sell-on value.



Swans manager Michael Laudrup admitted recently that he was powerless to prevent players such as Williams leaving the Liberty Stadium for bigger salaries elsewhere.



“Ashley renewed his contract, and you can never know in football,” Laudrup said. “Sometimes an offer can come doubling your salary to play for a bigger club. You would at least think about it. It’s the same for everyone.”



Liverpool do have alternative defensive targets in mind, with Ajax’s Toby Alderweireld also earmarked.

New Swansea deal for Davies

Teenage Swansea City defender Ben Davies has signed a new three-and-half-year contract with the Premier League club.



The 19-year-old left-back had 18 months left on his existing deal, but Swansea was keen to tie him to a long-term contract after impressing so far this season.



Davies was thrust into the first team after Neil Taylor suffered a broken ankle against Sunderland at the start of September, and his form was rewarded with his inclusion in Chris Coleman's Wales side for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Croatia.



Davies told the club website: "I'm delighted to have signed a new deal here.



"It shows the faith the club has in me and I've been rewarded for my performances so far."



The Neath product has come up through the academy system with the Swans, and is looking forward to continuing his development at the Liberty Stadium after committing until June 2016.



He said: "It is more security for me and that will allow me to keep working as hard as possible to continue my development here.



"I have already learned a lot from not only playing, but by working hard in training with the manager, coaching staff and team-mates and taking as much advice as possible from them.



"It's a great time to be at Swansea City - whether you are a player or supporter - and I'm delighted to be a part of it."

Six miss Swansea visit

Manchester City playmaker David Silva is one of six players absent as Swansea visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Silva continues to struggle with the hamstring injury which has kept him out for the past two games while defenders Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring) and Maicon (foot), midfielders Javi Garcia (thigh) and Jack Rodwell (hamstring) are also missing.

Another midfielder, James Milner, also sits out through suspension after his sending-off at West Brom last weekend.

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup has no fresh injury concerns when he takes his team to Manchester City.

Laudrup could shift midfielder Michu in attack again after he claimed his sixth goal of the season when employed as a striker in the win over Wigan, but Danny Graham is an option as well.



Midfielders Pablo Hernandez and in-form Wayne Routledge look set to keep Nathan Dyer on the bench, but Swansea have no serious injury problems

Swansea expect healthy profit

Swansea City are set to announce a £14.6million profit from their debut season in the Premier League.

The club, which finished 11th in the top flight last season, had a turnover of £65.2million for the year ending May 31, 2012, according to a statement on the club's official website.



The strong set of figures showed the Swans received £5million in compensation payments from Liverpool for the departure of manager Brendan Rodgers and his staff, with the club in the black despite increased operating costs and higher wage bill as a result of their promotion to the Premier League.



The statement said: "The directors' review of the business is set to reveal a turnover of £65.2million, which aptly demonstrates the reward of achieving Premier League status, and a net profit after taxation of £14.6million despite operating costs, particularly wages, being double those of the previous year.



"The net profit, which was boosted by the £5million received from Liverpool for the loss of management staff, more than counteracts the net loss of £8.3million incurred as a result of the cost of the promotion push in the previous financial year.



"The directors will reiterate their resolve to continue to manage budgets which should produce a level of profit capable of generating sufficient cash to fund future growth and capital investment plans."



The statement also revealed the future strategy of the club directors, which could include redevelopment of the Liberty Stadium.



It said: "Work is well under way on the £2.5million Landore training ground development and the creation of a partnership with Swansea University which involves the acquisition of a long-term lease of the playing fields at Fairwood, which will result in a first-class training complex befitting a Premier League club.



"Plans to increase the capacity of the Liberty Stadium are already being discussed with the idea of a phased development over a two-year period when the timing is right."

Swansea confirm the signing of Tiendalli

Swansea have confirmed the signing of former Ajax and Feyenoord left-back Dwight Tiendalli on a free transfer.



The 26-year-old Dutchman, who left FC Twente over the summer, has joined the Swans until the end of the season although the deal has yet to be ratified by the Premier League.



Tiendalli will provide defensive cover for Neil Taylor, who is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the campaign after fracturing his ankle against Sunderland 10 days ago.



"I'm looking forward to working under Michael Laudrup, who is a massive name in football, and showing him what I have to offer," Tiendalli said on Swansea's website.

"Playing in the Premier League is something I have always wanted to do - it's the best league in the world.



"I know my opportunity comes after an unfortunate injury for Neil Taylor, but hopefully I can bring experience to the squad and more options for the manager.



"It would be great to play on Saturday against Aston Villa, but my concentration first and foremost is to impress the manager in training and get used to my new team-mates."



Tiendalli began his career with Ajax before moving on to spells with Utrecht, Feyenoord, Sparta Rotterdam and Twente.

Sinclair on his way to Manchester City after fee was agreed

Manchester City have finally agreed a deal with Swansea to bring Scott Sinclair to the Etihad Stadium, with the winger set for a medical at the club on Thursday.

Sinclair has been linked with a move to the Premier League champions throughout the summer but reports suggested the transfer had fallen through earlier this week when the two clubs failed to agree a fee.



It was thought City's previous £6.2million offer was not enough to tempt Swansea to part ways with their star man, who has a year remaining on his contract in South Wales.

However, that obstacle appears to have been cleared to pave the way for the 23-year-old winger to link up with the big-spending club.



Sinclair, who scored 27 times for the Swans in the 2010/11 season before adding a further eight goals last term as they finished mid-table on their top-flight return, will undergo a medical at City on Thursday ahead of completing his move.



The winger is set to fill the gap in Roberto Mancini's squad vacated by England international Adam Johnson, who recently departed for Sunderland.

He is poised to become only the second signing of the summer for City, who have also brought in Jack Rodwell from Everton.

Swansea have already moved to line up his replacement for Sinclair, having agreed a fee with Valenciato bring Spanish winger Pablo Hernandez to the Liberty Stadium.