Carlos: Signings make us stronger

Carlos Carvalhal has toasted the arrival of two players who are hungry to wear the Swansea City shirt after completing deadline-day deals for Andre Ayew and Andy King.

The new recruits met up with their team-mates this morning after completing late moves to the Liberty Stadium.

Ayew returned from West Ham in a club-record deal, while King has joined on loan from Leicester for the rest of the season.

The Swans had to be patient in January, with the club looking at a number of possible options in what Carvalhal has acknowledged was a difficult window.

But Carvalhal is pleased with the deals for Ayew and King – because he likes the attitude of his new signings.

“We have signed two players and the most important thing is that they are two players who really wanted to come here,” said the Swans boss.

“When I spoke to Andre, he said to me ‘I want to go to Swansea’. It was the same when I spoke to Andy.

“They wanted it a lot and this is crucial because we want players who want to be here with us.

“If you bring in a player with quality who does not want to be here, it’s absolutely sure that he wouldn’t help the team.

“But when you have two players with qualities that can help the team like Andre and Andy and who want to come, you will be stronger.

“It’s not just about quality, it’s about commitment. This is the biggest thing for me.”

Ayew is well-known to Swans fans having impressed during his first stint at the club.

The 28-year-old spent the 2015-16 campaign in SA1 and finished as the club’s top scorer, with his 12 goals playing a big part in ensuring the Swans finished in mid-table.

“Andre is a good solution for us,” Carvalhal said.

“He is very versatile and can play in different positions. He is not exactly a No. 10, but he does not lose the ball easily and this kind of player can link the midfield to attack.

“At the same time he is a threat because he scores goals.”

King is another player who has a record for finding the target, having scored 62 times in 388 appearances for Leicester.

And Carvalhal feels the Welsh international will give him a welcome alternative option in the middle of the pitch.

“He is a very good midfielder – very strong,” he added.

“When Roque Mesa went back to Spain and we had the opportunity to bring Andy in, I said yes I want this player.

“He is a fighter, he can break the lines and he can score goals, plus he is Welsh and he wants to be here, so there are a lot of positives.

“Both Andy and Andre are team-workers, which is important.

“The reason why we have done well in the last few weeks is because we are a team, not because we have one or two stars. The new players will add to that.”

Carvalhal, meantime, has explained that Roque Mesa was allowed to join Sevilla on loan after the player made it clear he was keen to go.

“Roque is a nice boy and a good player,” Carvalhal said.

“I talked with him. He had a chance to go to Sevilla and he said he hasn’t fully adapted to life here, and also his family have not fully adapted.

“He said he wanted to go to Sevilla. It is the same principle as when you are bringing players in – you have to have players who want to play for the club.”