Why Charlie Kelman would be a good long-term signing for Swansea City
According to a report from the Southend Echo earlier in the month, Swansea City are among the Championship clubs tracking teenage striker Charlie Kelman, who currently plies his trade with Southend United in EFL League Two.
As per the source, QPR made a bid for the 18-year-old hitman while Premier League heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur have also been monitoring the progress of the Southend starlet.
However, nothing has come to fruition so far, and with just a few days to go before the domestic deadline on October 16, Swansea City might as well look to firm up their interest in the highly-rated Football League sensation in a bid to add more depth to their attack.
Profile
Born in Basildon, Charlie Kelman rose through the youth ranks of Southend United and made his professional debut in League One during the 2018-19 season.
He registered 5 goals in 18 league outings for Southend in the previous campaign and also bagged a brace in the EFL Cup to take his overall tally up to 9 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions. That, however, wasn’t enough to prevent the Shrimpers from suffering relegation to the fourth-tier.
A youth international for the United States at U-18 and U-20 levels, Kelman has amassed 8 goals in 33 appearances for Southend United’s first-team so far.
Swansea would benefit from Kelman’s potential
The report doesn’t mention whether Swansea have been looking at Charlie Kelman as an immediate attacking option in the Championship or they are just keeping an eye on the 18-year-old as one for the future.
Swansea are still somewhat light in their striking options despite the capture of Viktor Gyokeres on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion. Andre Ayew and Jamal Lewis have been regular starters in front of goal this season so far, with youngster Liam Cullen playing a bit-part role.
However, Swansea’s squad depth will surely be put to test in the latter stages of the campaign when fixtures start to come thick and fast, and the race for promotion goes down to the wire. Having a promising youngster like Kelman in the ranks would reduce the burden on some of the more established players while also increasing competition for places.
The more realistic option for Swansea would be to loan him straight back to Southend United after completing a permanent deal. Kelman showed glimpses of his massive potential in League One last term but he needs to play regular first-team football to progress in the right direction, something that might not be possible in the Championship just yet.
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Verdict
Suffice to say, Swansea would be better off signing Charlie Kelman with one eye on the future. The 18-year-old might not be the finished article just yet but he seems to be a real talent with plenty of untapped potential.
Steve Cooper is right up there with the best managers in England when it comes to getting the best out of up and coming starlets, meaning Swansea could have an absolute gem of a player on their hands.
