Your Swansea City headlines on Thursday, February 16.
Sorinola's run-in hope
Matty Sorinola hopes his impressive performance against Blackpool is enough to ensure he plays more regularly during Swansea City's Championship run-in.
The Union SG loanee was a prominent figure in the squad earlier on in the campaign but has seen his influence wane since the World Cup break.
Indeed, the 2-1 win over the Seasiders was the first league fixture Sorinola had started since the 2-1 defeat at Reading on December 27, and the 21-year-old fully justified the faith shown in him by Russell Martin by notching his second goal of the season in addition to delivering a teasing cross which was turned into his own net by Blackpool defender Callum Connolly.
And having shone against Mick McCarthy's outfit, Sorinola hopes the Swans can build on the victory and reduce the gap to the top six even further in the coming days.
“I feel like it was a needed win. We got the job done which is the main thing,” he told the club website.
“I was so happy to score. I feel like I need to bring more goals and assists and I’m happy I could do that.
“I want to play every week, but I just hope that now my chance has come I have done well enough to play again.
“I feel like everyone knows we needed a win after some of the results in recent weeks, but I feel like this is the moment to kick. Hopefully, we can use this as momentum to kick on now for the upcoming games.”
Bony signing twist
Wilfried Bony is only able to feature for new club Always Ready in the Copa Libertadores.
The former Swansea striker secured a shock switch to the Bolivian outfit this week having been a free agent since being released by NEC Nijmegen last year.
But the club have already utilised their full quota of foreign players in league competition, meaning Bony can only feature in the cup for his new side.
Discussing his move with local media in Bolivia, Bony said: "I come to bring experience, I will try to help the team and give my best in the Copa Libertadores.
"There are possibilities to stay longer, but the most important thing is to focus on the Libertadores and the game with Magallanes."
Sousa lands new job
Paulo Sousa has been announced as the new manager of U.S. Salernitana 1919.
The Italian outfit have endured a torrid spell of late, winning just one of their last 10 matches in all competitions - the low point of which saw them thrashed 8-2 by Atalanta.
Boss Davide Nicola was axed after that humiliating loss but was reinstated as head coach just two days later.
However, he was this week fired for the second time in a month and replaced by former Swans boss Sousa. The Campania-based outfit are currently 16th and sit just four points above the Serie A relegation zone.
Sousa replaced Roberto Martinez as Swansea boss in the summer of 2009 and guided the club to a seventh-placed finish in the Championship in his sole season at the club, although the playing style under the former Portugal international was widely criticised by the fan base.
Contract importance noted
Matt Gill admits it's crucial that Swansea tie down their soon-to-be out-of-contract players to new deals.
Ryan Manning, Joel Latibeaudiere and Kyle Naughton all see their current deals expire in the summer and have not agreed new contracts with the club with just shy of three months of the season remaining.
But, despite concerns of the situations of numerous players, Swansea's assistant head coach Gill is confident that the players will continue to produce the goods over the final stages of the campaign.
"The summer window is totally different," said Gill.
"That will look after itself. It's important and I'm sure Josh (Marsh) and Julian (Winter) are trying their hardest to try and tie players down.
"But, at the moment, you'll see the lads are concentrating on doing the best they possibly can for the team, and that's all we ask of the lads who are out of contract really, and they've given us that all season and I imagine they'll give it until the end of the season."
Llorente retires
Fernando Llorente has retired from football at the age of 37.
The Spaniard joined Swansea from Sevilla in the summer of 2016 and excelled in his sole season at the club, scoring 15 goals to play a pivotal role in keeping the club in the Premier League.
However, he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur on the eve of what proved to be the Swans' final campaign in the top-flight prior to their relegation to the Championship.
Llorente has since gone on to have spells with Napoli, Udinese and Eibar having played for Basconia, Athletic Bilbao and Juventus earlier on his career.
But the striker - who won 24 caps for his country - has officially hung up his boots.
When asked by Italian media if he would be seen playing on a football pitch again, the former Swan responded: "No, no. Now I have everything clear. I continue to keep fit by playing padel."
READ NEXT:
