Why Swansea City should snap up free agent Warner Hahn
Back in May, Dutch outlet AD (h/t Wales Online) mentioned Swansea City among the potential suitors for goalkeeper Warner Hahn, who had been nearing the end of his contract at Eredivisie club Heerenveen.
Belgian giants Anderlecht, as well as several clubs in Turkey and the MLS, were also in the race to sign the 28-year-old, who became a free agent following the expiry of his contract at the end of June. Swansea’s pursuit of Hahn came to nothing after the Welsh outfit successfully negotiated a deal with Newcastle United to re-sign Freddie Woodman back on a second successive loan deal.
Hahn, though, remains without a club even after the conclusion of the summer window. His status as a free agent means that the door remains open for Swansea to reignite their interest in the stop-stopper.
Profile
Warner Hahn rose through the youth ranks of Sparta Rotterdam and Ajax before starting his professional career with FC Dordrecht in the Dutch second-tier. He made 66 appearances for Dordrecht in all competitions before earning a move to the top-flight with Feyenoord.
The former Dutch U-21 international, though, never made a first-team appearance for Feyenoord and spent time on loan at Excelsior and PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie. He then signed for Heerenveen in 2017 and went on to make 70 appearances in all competitions, keeping 13 clean sheets in the process.
Hahn would add more experience to Swansea’s ranks
Freddie Woodman was one of the key architects of Swansea’s march to the semi-final of the Playoffs last season, starring with 12 clean sheets in 43 outings. With that in mind, it was seen as a massive coup when the Swans managed to bring the former England youth international back to the Liberty Stadium on a second successive loan deal in the summer.
The Newcastle graduate has continued to reach great heights in the Championship under the stewardship of Steve Cooper. Woodman has been instrumental in Swansea’s impressive start to the 2020-21 campaign, conceding just 4 goals and keeping 3 clean sheets in 6 league games so far.
However, Swansea currently lack a quality understudy to Woodman following the departure of Erwin Mulder and Kristoffer Nordfeldt on free transfers. Steven Benda is seen as the designated back-up but the German hardly has adequate professional experience under his belt to step in if required.
Swansea ideally need to bring in a new goalkeeper at the earliest to provide Woodman with some much-needed cover and competition. And Warner Hahn certainly fits the bill as an experienced campaigner with more than 100 appearances in the Eredivisie beside his name.
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Verdict
Warner Hahn has been a decent shot-stopper in the Netherlands over the past few years and the Dutchman’s availability on a free transfer presents an excellent market opportunity for Swansea to add more experience and quality to their goalkeeping ranks.
Woodman has been quite brilliant in the Championship but the Swans are unlikely to have a realistic chance of signing him permanently if they don’t secure promotion to the Premier League. Hahn, 28, still has several years remaining in his prime. Swansea going back in the market for his services would definitely be a shrewd piece of business.
