STATS: Swansea braced for Ki Sung-yueng blow at crucial time

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Swansea City have resigned themselves to the fact that Ki Sung-yueng is to miss at least four games while away on Asian Cup duty.

Swansea City’s New Year plans continue to be thrown up in the air.

Garry Monk is already readying himself for the departure of Wilfried Bony, with the Ivorian striker expected to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations.

He is not the only key member of the Swans squad set for international duty early in 2015, though, with Ki Sung-yeung also due to head off in January.

The South Korean midfielder is poised to captain his country at the Asian Cup in Australia.

Swansea are resigned to the fact that Ki will miss at least four games during a crucial stage of the season, with the 25-year-old hoping to take in a New Year’s Day clash with Queens Park Rangers before departing South Wales.

While on the other side of the world, he will miss domestic fixtures in the third round of the FA Cup and Premier League clashes with West Ham United, Chelsea and Southampton.

The numbers above show just how big a loss Ki will be to the Swansea cause.

When compared to his fellow midfielders, he has been an ever-present in Monk’s plans and a crucial cog in the middle of the park.

He has weighed in with two important goals, including an effort at Manchester United, and has made more tackles, interceptions and passes than any of those around him.

The Swans will need to find cover, with it possible that they will dip into the transfer market in an effort to bolster their creative and attacking ranks while Bony and Ki are away.