Transfer Centre

Garry Monk: 'No buy British policy at Swansea City'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 15 February 2015

Swansea City boss Garry Monk says that his recent splurge on British-born players in the January transfer window was more "accident than design".

Swansea City manager Garry Monk has insisted that he does not prioritise signing British players over foreign stars and hinted that he could turn to the European market in the summer.

The 35-year-old has overseen the exits of Chico Flores, Pablo Hernandez, Jose Canas, Alvaro Vazquez and Alejandro Pozuelo during his 12 months in charge at the Liberty Stadium, while Michu has also left on loan.

Kyle Naughton, Jack Cork and Matt Grimes made up Swansea's transfer spending in the mid-season window, adding to the strong core of British players running through the team, although Monk claims that strengthening his squad is all that counts regardless of where the purchases come from.

"The fact we bought in home-grown players was more by accident than design," Wales Online quotes him as saying. "We look at who is available and identify their characteristics and who can help us.

"And it wasn't a case of replacing the Spanish players we had here, the change really hasn't been an intentional one. In terms of some of the players who left – Michu, Pablo and Chico – they came to me. Yes, there were others who I wanted to move on, but I was looking to work with those three and help them, but they came to me and wanted to go.

"But these situations happen and it's all about getting the people with the quality that you need. You want people who are hungry and young, and who want to prove a point – wherever they are from."

Swansea sit in ninth place in the Premier League table following a recent shaky spell of form.