Why Swansea City should sign Tom Flanagan in January
As per a report from Chronicle Live, EFL Championship side Swansea City are mulling the possibility of making a move for Sunderland defender Tom Flanagan in the January transfer window.
The club’s first-choice trio of Mike van der Hoorn, Cameron Carter-Vickers and the young Joe Rodon have performed admirably for most parts of the campaign. But, should any of them get injured, the lack of a proper cover in the centre-back department could return to bite the Swans later down the season.
To that end, making a new signing in the central defensive area in the January transfer window would be a smart move from Potter and Swansea. And Sunderland’s Flanagan would prove to be an effective solution for the Welsh outfit.
The 27-year-old is a product of the MK Dons academy and has had loan spells away at Kettering Town, Gillingham, Barnet, Stevenage and Plymouth Argyle. He then moved on a permanent basis to Burton Albion in the summer of 2015 for free.
Flanagan was part of the team that won promotion from the League One to the Championship in his debut campaign at the club. In his three seasons with the Brewers, he went on to make 82 appearances, scoring and assisting two goals apiece before joining Sunderland on a free transfer this past summer.
Since moving to the Stadium of Light, the Northern Irishman has established himself as a mainstay at the back for Jack Ross’ side and has been one of the cornerstones in their solid start to life in the English third tier. Flanagan, till date, has featured 15 times across all competitions for the Black Cats and they haven’t lost a single game in which he has taken the field.
Able to play anywhere across the backline, the Northern Ireland international would provide depth in all the defensive positions at Swansea. And the fact that he has played in the Championship before and knows what it takes to cut it at that level would be an added benefit for Potter’s team.
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Given the season that Flanagan has had, he is capable of improving the overall quality of the Swans’ squad and that is why they should press ahead with their interest in the versatile defender in the January transfer window.
