Swansea City are bidding to add a pair of goalkeepers to their ranks this summer.
Ben Hamer has been released following the expiration of his contract while youth players Jamie Searle, Nico Defreitas-Hansen and Josh Gould have also been let go. It means the Swans have just Andy Fisher and Steven Benda in their ranks at present given that Lewis Webb will spend the remainder of 2022 on loan at Shelbourne.
The club are willing to sell Benda in a bid to free up funds to aid their pursuit of other targets. But the German's future remains up in the air following recent comments made by Peterborough United's director of football Barry Fry.
Earlier this month, it appeared likely that Peterborough was the most likely destination for Benda this summer following his successful loan stint with the Posh in the second half of the 2021/22 season. But Fry has stated Swansea want £1m for the 23-year-old - who still has two years left to run on his contract.
“I spoke to Steven as he is still in Peterborough,” Fry said. “He would love to join us, but we are not getting anywhere with Swansea. They wanted £1m and there’s no way we are paying that for a goalkeeper.
"Russell Martin then suggested an exchange of two of his players, including Steven, for one of ours, but that is not going to happen. Steven’s wages would also be a problem for us. I’d say it’s unlikely to happen now and we will look elsewhere."
Fisher did not have long to wait before being thrust into the limelight after completing his move from Martin's former club MK Dons in January, with the 24-year-old starting each of Swansea's final 20 games of the campaign.
He was at the centre of some truly scary moments while he was pivotal to a number of stunning team goals that started with the ball at Fisher's feet (Michael Obafemi v Reading being a prime example). Defensive alterations in the summer transfer window will go a long way to ensuring Fisher's work is even more aligned with Martin's ideals next summer.
The Swans were linked with Shrewsbury Town's Marko Marosi, although sources swiftly shot down those rumours when asked about the Slovakian by WalesOnline. Arsenal's Remy Mitchell is a more viable option.
The 18-year-old will not be offered a professional contract by the Gunners, according to reports. It means he will be a free agent in the summer.
Julian Winter recently stated that the club's top priority was to add two central defenders and a right wing-back to their ranks. The club are more relaxed around their goalkeeping situation having drawn up plans to address changes some time ago.
But, while Fisher is set to continue as the Swans' first-choice goalkeeper next season, the immense responsibility given to whoever wears the gloves under Martin cannot be understated.
