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Graham Potter Says Fabianski, Mawson And Ayew Can Go If The Price Is Right

Graham Potter has conceded that Swansea City players who want to leave will be allowed to go as Lukasz Fabianski, Alfie Mawson and Jordan Ayew near the exit door.

The new Swansea City manager says if the price is right then players who wish to stay in the Premier League will be granted their request.

Swans goalkeeper Fabianski is understood to be close to joining West Ham for around £8m, while Mawson is also wanted by the Hammers who will be asked to pay at least £20m for the central defender.

Fulham have also made a bid in the region of £8m for Ghana international Ayew, who was Swansea’s top scorer last season with 11, including seven in the Premier League.

“Any player who leaves has to go on right terms for the club but we don’t want players who don’t want to be here,” admitted Potter.

“We have to make balanced decisions, that process has started already, but we want players proud to represent Swansea.

“There will be some money to spend, there are no details on that today, but we need to add to the group and there will be some we move out to create space. We want people to help us play how we want to and have a stable group.

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“There will be a restructure but it has to be done in the right way. We will make good decisions and try and build a team the supporters can be proud of and connect with. I am excited about that.”

Fabianski played in all of the Swans’ 38 Premier League games last season and is in Poland’s World Cup squad for this summer’s tournament in Russia.

But he could be on his way out of the Liberty Stadium, with new Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini looking to bolster his squad.

Former Southampton defender Potter outlined his strategy for a campaign in the Championship when he met the media on Tuesday at the club’s training ground at Fairwood.

The 43-year-old from Solihull in the West Midlands spent over seven years in Sweden, leading Ostersund from the fourth tier to the top division. The team won the Swedish Cup in 2017 and competed in last season’s Europa League before they were knocked out by Arsenal.

However, Potter decided this was the right time to leave Ostersund in favour of a move to Wales.

“As soon as the idea and possibility emerges to work here and to be part of this football club and to take on this challenge, then it becomes quite easy,” Potter said when asked why he decided to make the switch.

“Because, like I said before, I was happy [at Ostersunds]. It wasn’t like I wanted to leave.

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“I was at a great club, trying to win the league, trying to get into the Champions League, so it was an interesting project that we were at.

“But for me it was about the right type of opportunity. And Swansea City just felt like the right one for me.”

Potter will attempt to lead Swansea back to the Premier League after their relegation to the Championship last season.

“The last two or three years hasn’t been where the club would probably want it to be and that’s part of the consideration, but ultimately you’ll have to speak to the people in charge,” he said.

“And for me it was an opportunity. The desire was to return to the old way of thinking, if you like.

“The Premier League is obviously a very tough competition and if you make mistakes in that you can be punished. I think that’s probably what’s happened here for the last couple of years.

“And now it’s a chance to start again: to use relegation as, like I said yesterday, maybe the best thing that could have happened to the club.

“Because they’ve had something that they were very, very proud of and lost it over the last two or three years for different reasons and I saw this as the opportunity to bring that back.”

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