Ayew justifies Swansea choice

After months of speculation, weeks of anticipation, Andre Ayew finally made his debut for Swansea City, playing the full 90 minutes of their Premier League opener against Chelsea.

If you’d forecast, several months ago, that Ayew would have lined up with the Swans for the 2015-16 season, I doubt many Ghanaians would have believed you.

The Black Stars forward shone for Olympique de Marseille last season—even as their Ligue 1 title tilt and Champions League aspirations came off the rails—and appeared destined to join one of Europe’s elite sides when his contract came to an end.

As covered forensically by Goal, the transfer future of Dede was a subject that enjoyed more than its fair share of twists and turns. At one point, he appeared destined to join AS Roma, at another, Liverpool—apparently the player’s club of choice—looked set to snare the talented free agent.

Sides such as Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and even Arsenal were all at one stage tipped to be keen on the forward, meaning that it was something of an anti-climax when he eventually signed for Swansea.

“Where?” cried Ghana fans in unison, “Wales?”

At the time, it appeared something of a reality check. If the Ghana star’s best offer was the Liberty Stadium and a side without a Premier League title let alone a Champions League hope, then what did that say about the nation’s talent?

As the summer wore on, and as Ayew’s transfer was placed into context, as a litany of stars from major leagues across Europe joined the EPL’s middle class—I’m looking at you Georgino Wijnaldum (PSV to Newcastle), Dimitri Payet (Marseille to West Ham United), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord to Southampton)—Dede’s choice appeared to be typical of a growing trend and a burgeoning economic reality.

Indeed, perhaps the clues had already been there that Ayew would eschew one of his glamorous suitors—all high heels and short skirts—for a club with a little more in the way of philosophy and vision. In an interview given to the BBC, the player admitted that he would be open to joining any one of the Premier League’s top ten (Alan Pardew’s eyes lit up) as long as they were a club with a project that appealed.

Perhaps, in hindsight, certainly based on the evidence of their Premier League opener, Ayew has made a remarkably astute choice.

Swansea’s class ought to come as no surprise.

They are a club, as the clichés go, ‘doing things right’. They are a sustainable outfit, in touch with their fanbase, with a cultured approach, a progressive young manager—a former club captain on top of that—and who promote intelligent football.

They demonstrated against Chelsea in their EPL opener that hopes of besting last season’s eighth-place finish (itself a remarkable achievement for a team who were in the fourth tier a decade ago) may not be far-fetched at all.

To this aim as he demonstrated against Chelsea—Ayew could be a key contributor.