, OPINION: Swansea City should target Daniel Bentley if permanent Woodman deal can’t be done

OPINION: Swansea City should target Daniel Bentley if permanent Woodman deal can’t be done

Swansea City are eyeing a return to the Premier League after a three-year absence. But Steve Cooper might need a new no.1 and should he get promoted, he could splash out on Swansea’s next long-term stopper.

Swansea City have borrowed Newcastle United’s Freddie Woodman for the past two seasons. The 23-year-old was eager to rejoin the Swans and in both stints has proved a shrewd acquisition. This season, Woodman has kept 15 clean sheets in all competitions (14 in the Championship – four more than any other goalkeeper) as Swansea boast the Championship’s best defensive record of 13 goals conceded in 24 league outings.

Now though, football.london report that Woodman is one of a number of goalkeepers on Mikel Arteta’s shortlist at Arsenal, with the Englishman tipped to replace Bernd Leno in the long-run.

, OPINION: Swansea City should target Daniel Bentley if permanent Woodman deal can’t be done

A summer move is more probable with Arsenal unlikely to be spending big in this transfer window and Woodman unlikely to be drawn from Swansea City’s promotion bid – Newcastle United did not have an option to recall him from his last loan deal but whether they do for this current deal is unknown.

Cooper then could face a goalkeeping conundrum in the summer – missing out on promotion would no doubt see Woodman return to Newcastle or be sold off, whilst a promotion could see them make a permanent offer for Woodman. With Arsenal in the race though and the high change of other top clubs looking at the in-form Woodman between now and summer, Cooper might be priced out of the move and forced to look elsewhere.

READ: Bournemouth man’s ‘stunning’ wage demands revealed after West Ham move stalls

A good, realistic candidate to come in is Bristol City’s Daniel Bentley. The 27-year-old started out at Southend United. He signed for Brentford ahead of the 2016/17 season and after three seasons there joined Bristol City.

Last season in his first at Ashton Gate, Bentley made 43 Championship and kept 10 clean sheets, having kept seven in 22 Championship appearances this time round. Speaking to Bristol Live about Bentley early into last season, then Bristol City manager Lee Johnson backed him to break into the England squad in the future:

“He’s been top drawer, I think last season his reputation took a bit of a hit and obviously the contract situation enabled us to swoop in and we believe in him,” he said.

“I’ll be honest, I don’t think he could be a million miles from an England call-up, maybe a couple of injuries away just because the people ahead of him are not particularly playing and if he was in the Premier League, I think he’s in the type of form where he’d get a call-up.”

, OPINION: Swansea City should target Daniel Bentley if permanent Woodman deal can’t be done

Locality is in Bentley and Swansea’s favour also. Cooper has made use of Bristol City since his time in charge having last summer taken in Kasey Palmer on loan and Korey Smith as a free signing.

Bristol City having claimed some heavy transfer fees in recent windows would no doubt hold out for another with Bentley. But if Swansea take to the Premier League and miss out on Woodman then they’ll likely spend well on a solid, long-term goalkeeper.

Bentley fits the bill – able to play out from the back, a strong shot-stopper and commander, and without discrediting Woodman, Bentley has much more of a physical presence. A move that makes sense, but Cooper’s focus will solely be on reaching the Premier League first.

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