Swansea City will forever rue £3m transfer deal that collapsed - He became one of football's best with Bayern Munich | OneFootball

Alphonso Davies became a world star for Bayern Munich and Canada. Swansea will forever rue the day that the deal to sign the full-back collapsed.

Swansea City have secured some fantastic signings over the years. From Michu, Fernando Llorente and Wilfried Bony in the Premier League, to the likes of Joel Piroe in the second-tier.

Yet in 2017, the then-Premier League club narrowly missed out on a player who would go on to become a global superstar.

Alphonso Davies, now a key figure for European powerhouse Bayern Munich and the Canadian national team, was once within Swansea's reach.

Today, the picture couldn't be more different.

Davies has blossomed into one of the world's most dynamic full-backs, while Swansea are battling in the Championship, far removed from their top-flight days.

Though their paths now seem worlds apart, it's remarkable how close they came to aligning. For Swansea, the collapse of that potential deal remains a painful 'what if' sliding door moment in the club's recent history.

Swansea miss out on top talent in frustrating fashion

In 2017, Davies was recommended to then-Premier League side Swansea by his head coach at Vancouver Whitecaps, Welshman Carl Jones.

The Daily Mail reported that Swansea viewed Davies as a fantastic investment, while being someone who would have suited their style in the top flight.

The then-winger Davies, however, saw a move to South Wales collapse due to work permit regulations.

Swansea led the race for the youngster; however, a £3 million deal was unable to be completed due to Canada's low FIFA ranking at the time, combined with his low transfer fee and wages.

Davies was a Liberian citizen who had gained a Canadian passport and was even capped by Canada at 16 years old.

In a move that still stings for the Swans to this day, he was snapped up by Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in 2018 and has gone on to become one of the world's best full-backs.

Swansea's frustration as Davies becomes a world star

Since moving to south Germany, Davies has become a key man for the Reds, making over 200 appearances.

The 24-year-old made just 19 Bundesliga appearances last term due to suffering multiple injuries in a stop-start campaign for the Canadian. However, he played his part as Bayern reclaimed the Meisterschale, ripped from their grasp by Bayer Leverkusen a year prior.

Six Bundesliga titles, three German Super Cups, two DFB-Pokals, alongside triumphs in the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, Davies has won it all in Bavaria.

From his sensational breakout campaign at left-back under Hansi Flick in 2019/20, to now where he is a seasoned full-back at the top table of European football under Vincent Kompany, Swansea can only watch on and think what could have been.

Given the talent of Davies, chances are that his time in Wales may have been brief. However, had it not been for work permit issues, his pace, power and energy down the flank either as a full-back or winger may have been the deciding factor in seeing the Swans avoid relegation at the end of the 2017/18 season.