Your Swansea City headlines on Friday, December 23.
Drameh loan 'not an option'
Cody Drameh will not be leaving Leeds United on loan in January, according to reports.
The 21-year-old featured on Swansea's list of transfer targets in the summer, although he remained at Elland Road.
However, Drameh has made just two senior appearances under Jesse Marsch so far this season and is said to be attracting interest from clubs including Newcastle United, Borussia Dortmund, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.
But Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Marsch will attempt to persuade Drameh to stay at Leeds, with a possible loan exit next month being ruled out entirely.
Swansea remain determined to bolster their wing-back options next month, particularly given the news that Ryan Manning and Joel Latibeaudiere are, at present, unlikely to sign new deals with the club.
Joel Piroe hope revealed
Matt Grimes hailed Joel Piroe as one of the best finishers he's played with.
The Dutch forward enjoyed a remarkable debut season at Swansea last time out, scoring 24 times in 47 appearances in all competitions after joining from PSV Eindhoven.
However, he has found the going tougher in his second campaign with the Swans and netted what was only his sixth goal of the season at Coventry City last time out following a run of nine matches without a goal from open play.
And Grimes admits the Swans' squad as a whole need to deliver in front of goal to ease the burden on top scorer Piroe.
"We all know what Joel is about," said the captain. "He's a goal scorer, he's probably one of the best finishers I've ever played with.
"You watch him in training and some of the goals he scores are absolutely outrageous. We know that he can't score every week and it's unfair to put the pressure on him to be scoring for us every week.
"When he pops up with goals like he did against Coventry, it turned the game, and that's what he's there for. Everyone knows what he's about.
"He's had a little bit of a dip in terms of goal-scoring but it'll come back."
Reading squad boosted
Reading are set to be boosted by the return of several players from injury for Tuesday's clash with Swansea.
However, boss Paul Ince remains uncertain over what impact players including Liam Moore, Scott Dann, Sam Hutchinson, Tom McIntyre and Naby Sarr will be able to have against the Swans following their respective absences.
“Christmas is hectic,” he said. “And it’s a time when I’m thankful I’ve got my whole squad; they’re not all completely ready yet, but I’ve got options now.
“Some squads are bigger than others – and I’ve spent the first half of the season calling on 16 or 17 players. That’s tough to ask the same players to keep going to the well and keep performing, keep performing.
“Now, I can look it and play certain players in one game, they can have a rest in the next one… that helps you. If you don’t have a big squad you can’t do that; you have to ask the same players to go over and over.
“So I’m hoping now I can be in situations where I rest one or two, and those players that get a bit of rest can come back fresher for the next game.”
Young defender John Clarke has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to a knee injury. Kick-off against Reading is at 5:15pm on Tuesday.
Grimes continuing to improve
Matt Grimes admits he is continuing to improve under the leadership of the current coaching staff at Swansea.
The club captain has been among the Swans' best performers so far this season and put his full faith in the regime by signing a long-term contract a year ago.
And the central midfielder believes the squad as a whole is a long way ahead of where they were when Martin first arrived at the Swansea.com Stadium in August last year.
“I feel I am growing as a player all the time, I feel I am getting better with every game and that goes for every player here,” said Grimes.
“Playing under this manager I just feel like I am learning something new every single training session and every single day.
“It really is incredible, the way he sees the game and the way he passes that down onto us. If you look at every player in the squad, you can see how much we have all grown over this last 18 months.
“I think if you consider where we have come from, then to be playing some of the football we are playing at the moment is pretty spectacular.
“We have full faith in each other, 100 per cent. That’s why I was very clear on my decision when I signed a new contract here. I am very happy, there is a long way to go this season and we will see where it takes us.”
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