Today's media round up

With the January transfer window now closed, the media can turn their attention back to the Premier League and this weekend's fixture away to West Ham. Currently sitting eighth, the Swans will be looking for another strong away performance against the Hammers. One man in particular is looking forward to a return to Upton Park, Leon Britton speaks to the South Wales Evening Post regarding his time with the east London club. We take a look at Andy Carroll's quotes from the West Ham United official website as he looks to get back into the starting line up after being out through injury. And finally, Wales Online have focused on Michael Laudrup's future with the Swans after an interview the Great Dane gave in Denmark.

South Wales Evening Post

Swansea City star Leon Britton set to end a 14-year wait at West Ham

Leon Britton still remembers returning to West Ham United after an unsuccessful trial at Southend.
And he recalls the moment he heard that Swansea City wanted to take a look at him in training for a week.
At the time he did not know what division Swansea were in, and all he knew about the city was that it was somewhere over the Severn Bridge.
But Britton was not about to turn Swansea down.

"I remember looking at the league tables to find out where Swansea were," Britton says.
"I remember seeing that they were in the bottom two in the bottom division, but I couldn't be picking and choosing where I wanted to go.
"I didn't care. I just wanted a chance."

Britton had become the most expensive teenager in the history of British football when Harry Redknapp took the then 16-year-old to West Ham from Arsenal in a £400,000 deal in 1998.
Britton was regarded as a star-in-the-making, but the breakthrough would never come at Upton Park.
By the time Britton was 18, Redknapp had gone and Glenn Roeder was in charge.
And when Swansea boss Brian Flynn showed an interest, Roeder was not about to stand in Britton's way.

"I went on trial at Southend for a week or two, where (future Swansea assistant manager) Graeme Jones was the centre-forward at the time," Britton recalls.
"They said they didn't want me - Rob Newman was the manager - and when I came back to West Ham I got a phone call from Steve Shorey, who is Nicky Shorey's dad and was a scout at West Ham.
"He said he'd had a call from Brian Flynn and that he wanted me to go down to Swansea for a week.
"I was up for it. I would have gone anywhere.
"I came down for a week. We played a game at Aston Villa against a mix of their reserves and youth team and then we played at Forest Green on a cold Tuesday night in November.
"I think we must have had a gap in the fixtures - we had probably gone out in the first round of the FA Cup!
"After those games I signed on loan for a month.
"We played Exeter, then Leyton Orient and Bristol Rovers at home, and then Flynny signed me for the rest of the season."

West Ham United Official Website
 
Carroll eyes Swans start

Hammers striker Andy Carroll is itching to make up for lost time after stepping up his comeback from a knee injury with a 14-minute substitute appearance in Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at Fulham.
The big Geordie has been out since late November but returned to the Barclays Premier League fray at Craven Cottage with Sam Allardyce's men looking to close a deficit caused by goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Hugo Rodallega.
West Ham couldn't rescue a point on this occasion, but Carroll was happy to be back and he is looking forward to helping the team as they move on to Saturday's visit of Swansea City.

Speaking exclusively to West Ham TV, Carroll said: "Obviously we were disappointed with the result but to be back on the pitch was great for me because I've been out injured for a while now.
"I've been wanting to get out there since I've been injured - I've been in the gym and treatment room working hard to get fit. It's taken a while but I'm back and it was a great feeling to get those few minutes under my belt."

Wales Online

Michael Laudrup pledges his future to Swansea City

Michael Laudrup has eased fears he could be tempted away from Swansea City, asking: "Why should I leave?"

Swans boss Laudrup has been tipped to be on the managerial wish lists of several big clubs following his success in South Wales, including guiding the club to the top eight in the Premier League and their first major cup final.
A poll of Real Madrid supporters placed the Dane as a potential candidate to succeed Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu, while he was also reported to be on Chelsea's radar as a possibility to step into the Stamford Bridge hot seat.
But Laudrup has cooled such speculation with his firmest public indication yet of his intention to see out his contract, of which there is 18 months remaining.

In an interview in his native Denmark, Laudrup is quoted as saying: "It probably comes as no surprise when I state that I feel very happy in Britain and in Swansea in particular.
"I have been in this world of football long enough to know that there is no such thing as a 100 per cent guarantee due to the simple fact that it is an ever-changing world.
"But I have one year running on my contract at Swansea once this season is out.
"We have an exciting squad that we are able to take further in the season to come. I am happy to be here so why should I leave?"