Swansea City reaction given to "surprising" Ronald transfer claim - "I can't believe it" | OneFootball

Swansea City winger Ronald has been the subject of interest from the Premier League and the Middle East this January

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Swansea City winger Ronald has been at the heart of surprise links to the Premier League and the Middle East as of late, with the January transfer window right around the corner.

The 2025/26 season has not yet panned out the way that Swansea City would have hoped.

The Welsh outfit sits 18th in the Championship table after 15 matches, and following just one win in their last eight outings, the Swans decided to take drastic action upon the commencement of the most recent international break by dismissing Irish boss Alan Sheehan.

It looked like an almost foregone conclusion that Hammarby head coach Kim Hellberg would become the side's new boss, but Championship rivals Middlesbrough swooped in under their noses to convince the Swede to make the move to Teesside instead, putting them back to square one.

Now, it looks as though former Liverpool coach Vitor Matos is set to take over the reins in South Wales, and should he be appointed, the Portuguese coach will already have one eye on January, with one of the club's most prominent players at the heart of surprise links to the Premier League and the Middle East.

Brazilian ESPN journalist Felipe Silva reported that Ronald could leave the club this winter, with a move to the top flight or the Middle East firmly on the cards.

Ronald, who has three goals and one assist in the second tier this season, has played a role in each of Swansea's 15 games so far, but could be set for a shock exit in the coming months.

Swansea City's Ronald's Premier League links have been 'very surprising to see' as the January window approaches

Football League World's Swansea fan pundit, Will Hughes, has reacted to the news of the interest in Ronald from clubs in the Premier League and from the Middle East this January, and whether the news is surprising to hear or not.

Will said: "Yeah, it's very surprising to see that. I don't think Ronald is any better than the Championship, to be honest with you.

"I think maybe mid-table Championship is his level, in terms of player. You know, maybe he has got potential. Maybe under a different manager, maybe under a different system, he could be better. Who knows?

"You know, when at the end of last season, when we were playing with a bit more freedom, that was probably some of the best I've seen Ronald play. I mean, that and his first couple of weeks or months at the club.

"I think he's got the potential to be a good player at this level, and I think overall he works hard, he's got that guile, that dog that maybe some players don't, he doesn't mess around, and you can't fault his tenacity to work hard.

"What you can criticise about his end product. I think he's very limited as to what he can do on the ball. [He's] a bit of a one-trick pony as well.

"I do think there are aspects to his game that he could definitely improve on, but where some fans give him a crazy amount of criticism, I don't see that energy directed towards other players who maybe deserve it.

"My issue is that it's not consistent. I'm not saying he's immune from criticism, absolutely not. There are some games that I've watched him in, and I've been pulling my hair out when he's firing the ball straight at a defender or choosing not to at least try to beat the man.

"But he does work hard, and he does care. It says a lot that every manager who's been at the club has effectively started him for most games. Do you know what I mean? Like, he hasn't been a player who's been phased out. He's always been in and around the eleven. So that tells you everything.

"There's obviously something there, and I'd be reluctant to over-criticise him in comparison to some of the players in the team that maybe get away with criticism.

"For me, as I say, it's very surprising. I can't say I believe it, to be honest with you.

"Middle East, maybe, potentially, but the Premier League, definitely not.

"I don't see Ronald going to the Premier League anytime soon, and even if we did go up or he ended up in the Premier League, he would more than likely just be a squad player.

"So it's very surprising. I don't know if I believe it, but hey, you never know."

The sale of Ronald could be reinvested in the Swansea City squad this January

Swansea signed the Brazilian for a reported fee of just around £1 million in January 2024, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal in South Wales, having spent the previous 18 months with Estrela Da Amadora in Portugal.

It's unclear what sort of fee Swansea would command for Ronald, with Transfermarkt valuing the winger at around €2.20 million (£1.94 million), though with teams often able to command more for a player in mid-season, it's likely the Swans will ask for in and around double that value to part ways.

Should a sale be conducted, it will likely be reinvested straight into the squad to improve their attacking areas, with Zeidane Inoussa, Ji-Sung Eom and Manuel Benson the only other options in the squad capable of operating out wide, with the latter having barely featured as yet since his loan switch from Burnley.

It looks to be a busy few months for Swansea, who must ensure that their next managerial appointment is the right one, and must make a big decision revolving around the future of Ronald.