Swansea manager Michael Laudrup tips Danny Graham to score 20 goals

Swansea City forward Danny Graham (GETTY IMAGES)

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup believes striker Danny Graham can be their 20-goals-a-season man.

Former Watford forward Graham, who turned 27 yesterday, arrived at the Liberty Stadium in a club record move and went on to find the net 12 times as the Swans finished 11th in the top flight.

And he has been in prolific form in pre-season, scoring six goals in five appearances, including a hat-trick against Blackpool and a brace in the weekend draw with Stuttgart.

With signs that the ex-Carlisle and Middlesbrough man is forming an understanding with new signing Michu, Laudrup is backing Graham to have an excellent campaign.

He said: "Every day the connection between Danny and Michu looks better and better and we can expect a lot from them.

"I don't know what Danny's record is, but if he stays fit I would say he can score between 15 and 20 goals in the Premier League."

With midfielder Joe Allen completing his move to Liverpool, Laudrup is set to receive some of the fee, believed to be £15million, to further strengthen his squad.

But the Dane, who is interested in a move for Bolton's Mark Davies, admits the prices clubs ask for British players may mean he has to look to the continent for "value for money".

"For me it's not a case of saying I have 14, 15, 16 or £100million to spend," he said. "Or saying I have all this money so I need at last 80% of it to buy a replacement, let's buy some big names.

"The bigger clubs, the players there don't want to leave and even players from other clubs in the Premier League are expensive.

"The problem is, for example, what would an offensive midfielder in the Premier League scoring 15 goals a season be worth? He would be worth more than the £2million we paid for Michu.

"We have to be careful not to always go for foreigners but in Britain you would have an issue with value for money."

PA