Swansea continued their shrewd business during the current transfer window by snapping up Argentine centre-back Federico Fernandez from Napoli. The 25-year-old, who is the club’s eighth summer signing, expressed his delight at being given an opportunity to play in the English top-flight.
“It has always been my dream to play in the Premier League – it is the best in the world – and I’m grateful to Swansea for giving me this opportunity. I saw a team that holds the ball and plays very good football. It caught my attention. I can identify myself with the Swansea style – I like to play the ball from the back and, of course, I love to defend too.”
THE HISTORY
Fernandez began his career at Argentina’s Primera Division side Estudiantes. He played twice in their run to the Copa Sudamericana final in 2008 – aged just 18 – but only cemented his place in the side when manager Alejandro Sabella, now head coach of the national team, arrived. Fernandez scored his first goal against Lanús in 2009, but was an unused substitute as Estudiantes won the Copa Libertadores final that year and signed with Napoli for €3million the following December.
Having netted two goals for Napoli, both headers, to add to his four goals at Estudiantes, the defender eventually struggled for playing time, and was loaned out to Getafe for the second half of last season, where he played 14 times and scored once.
Fernandez won the first of 26 international caps in 2011, but was not named in the Copa America squad later that year. Nevertheless, he became one of Argentina’s key centre-halves during the 2014 World Cup, playing 990 minutes in qualifying and starting every fixture until the quarter-final, when he lost his place to Martín Demichelis despite La Albiceleste winning every match with him in the side.
THE PROSPECTS
Fernandez is an imposing centre-back who reads the game well and can dominate both aerially and on the deck. He has professed his admiration for Swansea’s silky, pass-dependent style of football but although the stats suggest he is unlikely to light up Fantasy football with goals or assists, he could be an interesting route into a defence with excellent upcoming fixtures.
Immediate investment in Swansea clean sheets could be a wise move. A tough trip to Chelsea in Gameweek 4 aside, Garry Monk’s men have a generous opening fixture list with which to capitalise on their shock win at Old Trafford. In the next two weeks they have back-to-back home fixtures against Burnley and West Brom, and showdowns against Southampton, Sunderland, Stoke, Newcastle and Leicester complete the schedule until November.
Fernandez comes in at a price of 5.0 in Fantasy Premier League, matching Swansea’s most expensive defenders Angel Rangel and Ashley Williams. The Argentine’s arrival effectively kills off any hope of Kyle Bartley (4.0) making the team, ruling the latter out of contention as a budget backline contender. The move also spells disaster for owners of Jordi Amat (4.5), who looks set to lose his place as Monk attempts to improve upon a dubious defensive record that has seen the Swans register just two clean sheets in his 15 Premier League matches at the helm.
It also leaves an interesting prospect in Neil Taylor (4.5), who would now appear the cheapest route into the back line. The left-back’s pitch time could be worth monitoring, though; after being booked against United, he was replaced by Dwight Tiendalli (4.5) after just 52 minutes as Adnan Januzaj tormented him on the flank. Frustratingly, Monk has confirmed the club are still awaiting international clearance for Fernandez ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Burnley but the fixtures certainly suggest that, once available, he could be worth considering if his impact helps address the Swans defensive woes.
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