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Ian Mitchelmore

Swansea City transfer news as young striker linked and Russell Martin hailed as Championship's best boss

Your Swansea City headlines on Tuesday, May 2.

Towering striker linked

Swansea City have been credited with showing an interest in Shrewsbury Town striker Tom Bloxham.

The 19-year-old has made 27 appearances in League One this season and is said to be highly-rated by those at Shrewsbury.

And the Daily Mail report that the Swans - along with Blackburn Rovers and Rotherham United - are keeping a close eye on the frontman ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 6ft 5in Leicester-born attacker is contracted to Shrewsbury until the summer of 2025, although they hold the option to extend that deal by 12 months.

READ MORE: The stark reality of Swansea City's financial position and the assets created to continue 'impressive' trend

Rodgers revolutionised British football

Chris Davies says Brendan Rodgers' Swansea City side revolutionised British football.

The former Wales youth player joined Rodgers' coaching staff at Swansea in 2010 and played a pivotal role in helping the club gain promotion into the Premier League for the first time in their history.

The Swans were lauded for their playing style under the Northern Irishman, and Davies admits the domestic game on these shores has followed the ideas of Rodgers following his success in south Wales.

"Our Swansea City team played a significant role in the evolution of British football," he told the Coaches' Voice.

"I worked there under Brendan Rodgers, who had been approached to take over as manager in 2010 because of the style of football he played.

"We inherited a team that had been moulded by the work of Roberto Martínez and Paulo Sousa. Roberto had instilled the possession-based style that Swansea came to be known for, and Paulo had added defensive solidity. When we got there, there was a good base in place.

"We had a very distinct style. The idea was to dominate the ball with a combination of purposeful possession and high-intensity pressing. This came at a time when there were very few teams playing a possession-based game in this country, especially in the Championship, and even fewer having success doing it.

"Twelve years on, when you watch the Championship now, more than half of the teams aim to control the game with the ball. Most teams in the Premier League play that way now, too. These teams are playing with a degree of patience, which you just didn’t get back when we were in the Championship with Swansea."

Martin hailed as division's best boss

Matt Grimes described Russell Martin as the best head coach in the Championship and stated the 37-year-old will go on to "unbelievable things" in the future.

Captain Grimes has been a mainstay under the current coaching staff and outlined his commitment to the club by signing a contract extension during Martin's first season in south Wales.

And with Swansea currently on an eight-game unbeaten run, Grimes says victory over West Brom on the final day of the campaign next week will further improve the mood ahead of Martin's third season at the club.

“If we can go unbeaten until the end of the season, that would be massive,” he told the club website.

“The lads have been on a brilliant run. We were disappointed not to win at Hull but I think a point away at Hull is a very decent result, so we reflect on it and go again next week.

“It’s been such a topsy-turvy season with a lot of ups and downs, so the least we owe our fans for sticking with us through it all is a performance at home against West Brom.

“I’ve said it numerous times, in numerous interviews that I believe the gaffer is the best manager in the league and he’s going to go on to unbelievable things.

“The way he’s got us playing with a young squad and the least amount of players used in the Championship is a testament to him and all the lads.

“As you’ve seen over the past seven or eight games, we’ve been playing some really good stuff and we just need to keep building momentum going into next year and carry on this run we are on.”

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