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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Tom Coleman

Burnley's interest in Coventry City star Viktor Gyökeres and the implications for Swansea City's Michael Obafemi

Swansea City fans have often had a somewhat turbulent relationship with the January transfer window.

Since their relegation from the Premier League, the financial realities of life back in the second tier have often loomed large each and every time the transfer window has edged open, resulting in many of the club's prized assets being sold off in a bid to balance the books.

Things have levelled out a little more in terms of the balance sheet, with the Swans seemingly finding their feet again in the Championship, but even last summer there were gaps that needed to be plugged.

READ MORE: Swansea City's game vs Coventry City shrouded in uncertainty as stadium eviction notice issued

So many expected Joel Piroe to be the one to move on, but there was little sign of any credible bid, despite the crackle of speculation. Step forward Flynn Downes, who was moved on to boyhood club West Ham United - a blow granted, but the damage of his departure never really felt insurmountable,

Replacing a goalscorer would have been a much harder task. But while much of the narrative centred around Piroe's future, Michael Obafemi was another who found themselves in the crosshairs of admirers elsewhere.

Current Championship leaders Burnley, undergoing a substantial overhaul under boss Vincent Kompany were understood to be keen on the former Southampton man, but saw several bids knocked back by the Swans in the final few hours of the summer transfer window.

Obafemi was believed to be keen on the move to Lancashire and some significant smoothing over was required to get the 22-year-old back in what Martin described as 'the right frame of mind' to pick up his Swans career again.

Now, just a few months on, it's perhaps not entirely unreasonable to wonder whether some of those old wounds will be opened back up, with the Clarets still believed to be keen on adding some extra firepower up front.

Whether they revisit a move for Obafemi remains to be seen, but the Republic of Ireland international isn't the only familiar name who could be on the radar next month.

Viktor Gyokeres never quite got going in a Swans shirt under Martin's predecessor Steve Cooper, netting just three times in 30 appearances. However, since moving to Coventry City, the Swedish international has been something of a revelation. After banging in 18 goals in all competitions, he's racked up another nine goals this term, and his proficiency in front of goal has earned him admirers at Turf Moor.

According to reports in the north-west, the Clarets were initially keen on Sky Blues team-mate Callum O'Hare in the summer, but now appear to have turned their attention to Gyokeres, who is believed to fit the bill of what Kompany is looking for.

Should they decide to firm up their interest, one would think it would extinguish any smouldering embers of interest in Obafemi, but with £10million likely required to prise Gyokeres away from Coventry, it might not be a straightforward deal to get over the line.

With that in mind, it's probably too early to discount the possibility of another potential swoop for Obafemi before the transfer window is out, with a new striker widely seen as the missing piece in Kompany's promotion jigsaw.

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