Winger Mo Barrow has joined Championship club Reading in a reported £1.5 million switch after falling out of favour under Swans manager Paul Clement.
Gambian flyer Barrow, who joined the Swans for a fee of the same figure from FK Ostersunds of Sweden in 2014, spent a good portion of last season on loan with Leeds United.
The move is now subject to international clearance being granted after Barrow completed a medical at Reading yesterday. The transfer arrangement could also involve a sell-on clause and various add-ons, although the official fee is undisclosed.
Speaking to Sky Sports about the deal, Reading manager Jaap Stam said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Mo to Reading Football Club and I’m delighted that we have been able to add another player to our squad ahead of the start of the season.”
Barrow had a mixed time at Swansea City; after a positive start under former boss Garry Monk and a progressive rise to important first teamer status under Francesco Guidolin’s stewardship, he fell out of favour in Paul Clement’s eyes.
Barrow was previously valued much higher, with a reported buyout clause of £15 million but Clement appeared keen to move him on and eventually settled for a much reduced fee.
Barrow, 24, made 55 appearances in all competitions for the Swans and was previously the subject of reported interest from a variety of clubs from Barnsley to Southampton.
Despite his pace and skill, Barrow was not a great scorer of goals, having only managed to hit the back of the net twice during his Swansea tenure - only one of these came in the Premier League.
Barrow could do a job with Reading, who will have promotion ambitions this season after missing out via the Championship playoffs in the last campaign.
Clement may be conducting more business in the coming days and weeks as Jefferson Montero could move on along with the continued Gylfi Sigurdsson saga gaining traction. Then comes the issue of potential replacements.
If Swansea receive the reported fee of £50 million for Sigurdsson, it could trigger transfer ‘silly season’ in that part of South Wales as names are linked to the Swans by agents and indeed the media.