Everton nabbed Enner Valencia from under Swansea City’s nose in the summer – leaving them stuck with Borja Baston instead.
Swansea City supporters were less than impressed with the club’s activity on transfer deadline day last summer.
After missing out on the likes of Joe Allen, Wilfried Bony, Nacer Chadli and Leonardo Ulloa, the bad feeling was hardly lifted when the club accidentally ran a story claiming they had completed the signing of Enner Valencia – a day after he put pen to paper with Everton, Wales Online reports.
As it stands, fans were right to be worried. Swansea are still in the Premier League relegation zone with just three games remaining.
Therefore, their crippling overreliance upon Fernando Llorente and Gylfi Sigurdsson for goals looks all the more galling when you consider the club were on the verge of signing Valencia from West Ham on a season-long loan, Wales Online adds.
Supersub
And though the Ecuadorian has been far from prolific at Goodison Park, netting three goals in 18 Premier League appearances, his impact off the bench has made him a key figure under manager Ronald Koeman in recent weeks.
Swansea simply do not possess a striker with the same ability to rough up opponents late on in games and stretch defences with his speed and willingness to run the channels.
The Liverpool Echo report that Everton will have to pay £12 million to sign Valencia on a permanent deal and, with Koeman praising his work rate after Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he could still be wearing blue next season.
Big money Borja
And when you consider that Swansea smashed their club transfer record for £15 million Atletico Madrid striker Borja Baston, (BBC) their inability to sign Valencia for a lower fee looks all the more costly.
The 24-year-old may have netted 18 goals on loan at Eibar last season but he has just one in South Wales and has not started a single game under Paul Clement.
It’s fair to say supersub Valencia would have more of an impact from the bench.
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