Swansea reject Danny Graham exit rumours
Striker has been linked with move to Sunderland
Tuesday 29 January 2013
Related articles
-
Match report: Late Danny Graham goal saves a point for Swansea City against struggling Aston Villa
-
Di Canio: Danny Graham was not fit to play in the league when I arrived at Sunderland
-
Danny Graham to be Cat or Canary? Striker chased by Sunderland and Norwich
-
Transfer Talk: Massadio Haidara to Newcastle; Etienne Capoue to Everton; Danny Graham to Sunderland
Danny Graham's Swansea future remains in doubt as the Welsh club face his potential suitors Sunderland tonight, following reports the striker has asked to leave the Liberty Stadium for personal reasons.
The 27-year-old has travelled with the Swansea squad ahead of the Barclays Premier League meeting with the Black Cats and is available for selection.
Swansea denied reports he had expressed a desire to leave when contacted by Press Association Sport and chairman Huw Jenkins told BBC Radio Wales: "At the moment there is no substance to this whatsoever."
But Graham, who is is thought to be keen on the chance to return to his native north-east, could yet be on his way to the Stadium of Light following a protracted transfer saga that has run throughout the January window.
However, Swansea are in a strong bargaining position. The club have no need to sell Graham, who was the club's record signing when he arrived from Watford in a £3.5million deal in 2011 and has two and a half years left on his current contract.
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup would also be loathe to let Graham go with such little time in which to find a replacement.
The Swans had received bids from Sunderland and Norwich earlier this month and Laudrup has made it clear an increase will be required if Graham is to leave south Wales.
Laudrup also expressed puzzlement as to why it has taken Martin O'Neill, who has let Fraizer Campbell, Louis Saha and Ji Dong-won all leave, so long to act given the speculation linking Graham with Sunderland has gone on throughout January.
Speaking prior to reports of Graham requesting to leave, he said: "Even if a player were to say 'I want to leave', it is still between the clubs.
"I will understand it because I don't want players who are unhappy who have a very good chance of going somewhere else.
"But then again there is the economic part of it between the clubs and if the bids are not high enough the player will stay anyway."
He added: "It's January 28 and I don't understand it. If somebody really wants someone, you have one month, why wait until the last 24 hours?
"We call it the January transfer window. It starts January 1 and now we are at January 28. So if someone really wants Danny and want him so badly, why wait until that last day?
"I don't want to go into which club has done what. I just want to say the clubs that have put in a bid for Danny have not offered enough."
While Graham could potentially leave the club, one man staying in south Wales is Wayne Routledge, who has agreed terms on a new long-term contract.
The new contract will see Routledge remain with the Swans until the summer of 2016 and is reward for his excellent form since Laudrup took over as manager in the summer.
PA
Latest in Sport
Sport blogs
iBet: A tight game between Northampton and Bradford
A tight game could be in prospect here. Northampton have been keeping things very tight of late and ...
by Gareth Purnell
18 May 2013 02:01 AM
On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: Feeling ill and racing in the rain must be pretty grim
I can’t ever watch games of football or rugby without wistfully wondering what it must be like to be...
by Martin Ayres
16 May 2013 05:10 PM
PSG and the French league must be more proactive in dealing with hooliganism
Since PSG’s exit to Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final in April, PSG have been sur...
by Matthew Riding
15 May 2013 02:37 PM
-
Tears and cheers as David Beckham ends glittering career after helping PSG to final win
-
Video: Emotional David Beckham leaves the pitch for 'the last time'
-
Manuel Pellegrini has pedigree to be success story at Manchester City
-
Another nail-biting finish for unlucky Tottenham as Arsenal look to secure Champions League place on last day
-
Boxing: Carl Froch slams fellow Brits for sparring with Mikkel Kessler
- 1 Tears and cheers as David Beckham ends glittering career after helping PSG to final win
- 2 Heading for America? Prepare for the longest US immigration queues ever
- 3 You thought Ryanair's attendants had it bad? Wait 'til you hear about their pilots
- 4 Cameron goes to war with press over 'swivel-eyed loons' slur
- 5 It’s official: thanks to Stephen Hawking's Israel boycott, anti-Semitism is no more
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Day In a Page
The price of pacifism
Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond
Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?
Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing
Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'
Don't be shy: Bill Granger's Sri Lankan recipes
Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save



Comments