Newcastle United want to bring Lisandro Lopez over from Benfica in January – 12 months after Swansea City’s move fell apart.
That Paul Clement managed to keep Swansea City in the Premier League last season despite the South Wales club posting the second worst defensive record in the top flight was a major achievement.
Though the former Bayern Munich assistant was certainly aided by the creative mastery of Gylfi Sigurdsson and the one-in-two goal ratio of Fernando Llorente. Following the talismanic duo’s summer moves to Everton and Tottenham respectively, however, Clement can no longer call on the same attacking potency to compensate for defensive errors.
Swansea may look a little more solid at the back this season with just eight goals conceded in seven games but, with their attack misfiring, you get the feeling that the club may be forced to rely more on eking out the odd 1-0 or creditable draw as they sit third from bottom in the current standings.
Finally signing Benfica’s Lisandro Lopez would help. According to Sky Sports, Swansea were close to landing the four-time Argentine international late in the January transfer window, only for a loan deal to be called off at the eleventh hour.
Lopez could make the move to England 12 months’ on, however, but with Newcastle rather than Swansea. The Chronicle states that The Magpies are interested in reviving a deal for a player manager Rafael Benitez wanted in the summer.
Swansea appear to need Lopez far more than a Newcastle side sitting pretty in ninth and with just six goals in the deficit column from seven matches.
Kyle Bartley still has a few more weeks on the sidelines and The Swans’ lack of depth at centre-half remains an issue. But, with Lopez starting just one league game for Benfica this season, it appears he is far more likely to move this time around.
Will Swansea let the opportunity pass them by?
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