Russell Martin admits the sale of Flynn Downes puts Swansea City in a significantly stronger position to fend off any transfer interest in other stars including Joel Piroe this summer.
Midfielder Downes excelled under Martin's leadership last season after joining from Ipswich Town for a fee of £1.4m. And the Englishman secured a £9m move to West Ham United last week in a deal that could be worth up to £14m with add-ons.
The Swans had widely been expected to sell Piroe this summer following his stunning debut season at the club. The Dutchman netted 24 goals in 47 outings after joining from PSV Eindhoven and has been linked with clubs including Watford and Leicester City.
