By Matthew Burgess
The summer-long saga around the future of Joel Piroe has taken another twist with some reports now suggesting the Dutchman will commit to one final season with Swansea City, where he will run down the final year of his contract.
Swansea are believed to be seeking a £15 million fee for Piroe whose future has been subject to intense speculation since the end of last season.
It is now thought Piroe, who scored 19 goals in 43 league appearances last season, could remain in SA1 beyond the summer transfer window.
Everton, Leeds United, Leicester City, Southampton and Atalanta all being linked with the 23-year-old at various points during the off-season. However, Swansea are yet to receive any offers.
Some reports have claimed the structure of any deal, including agent fees, are not favourable to Piroe’s representatives, an issue further complicated by the terms around his exit having previously been agreed with the club’s now-departed chief executive Julian Winter.
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With no desire to commit to a new contract with the Swans, Piroe’s willingness to see out the final year of his deal could force the club’s hand in the final weeks of the window.
Unless Swansea revisit the terms of any deal before the window closes on 1st September, the likelihood of the club seeing their biggest asset walk away for free next summer becomes a distinct possibility.
Given the pressing need to add new players to Michael Duff’s squad, the club might feel pressured into lowering their valuation of Piroe and negotiating a cut-price deal rather than allowing a prospective financial windfall slip away completely.
Even if the Swans resist the temptation to lower their terms for Piroe to leave in this window, the club could reconsider their stance again in January, particularly if the club looked unlikely to mount a play-off push.
Piroe, of course, is completely within his rights to see out the rest of his contract and walk away next June.
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As a free agent, the striker would likely command considerable interest as he plots the next step of his career, three seasons after leaving his bit-part role with PSV Eindhoven to join Swansea.
And for as long as Piroe remains a Swansea player, Duff will have arguably, the most clinical finisher outside of the Premier League at his disposal, boosting hopes of building on last season’s 10th-place finish.
Piroe has featured throughout the club’s pre-season campaign and looked sharp at the weekend, where he struck twice in a 4-0 victory over Reading.
Summer signing Jerry Yates netted his first goal for the club before Matty Grimes completed a comprehensive victory for the Swans, who kick-off the new season at home to Birmingham City on Saturday.
