Matthew Bound has been put on the transfer list by Swansea City after a breakdown in talks over a new contract.
The move, announced by the club today, comes after two months of negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
Swansea have circulated clubs in the Premiership and First Division over the 27-year-old central defender’s availability.
It is a huge blow for manager John Hollins who had until now successfully negotiated extensions to contracts which are due to expire at the end of the season for players including Roger Freestone and Jonathan Coates.
Hollins admits that he is disappointed at the prospect of losing Bound’s services.
“This is not a step I take lightly,” he said. “Matthew Bound has performed terrifically for us over the time I have been here, and we offered him the best contract we could under our pay structure.
“Unfortunately, the player’s agent believes he is worth considerably more and that is not a situation we can live with.”
Hollins added: “I feel this is a problem created by our own success on the pitch last season. Now our players are getting much better recognition than they did in the past.
“Under the Bosman ruling, the players have the power and will use it.”
Chairman Steve Hamer said: “This is the last thing we wanted. We are already one of the best payers in the Third Division and we moved heaven and earth to keep him, but we can’t afford First Division wages, which is what Matthew’s agent wants. There are the other players to consider, too.
“From December he would be free to negotiate his own deal with a new club and we would not get a penny. That is the reality in the lower divisions since the Bosman ruling.
“It is very disappointing, but we will soldier on. Keith Walker will be busting a gut and obviously we hope the arrival of Walter Boyd will take some of the pressure off the defence.”
Swansea have not yet said how much they want for Bound who has been a cornerstone of the side since then manager Alan Cork paid Stockport £55,000 for him in November 1997.
Widely acknowledged as the best central defender in the Third Division, his partnership with Jason Smith was a huge factor in Swansea getting to the play-offs last season.
The prospect of Bound leaving Vetch Field could not have come at a worse time.
Only two days ago the feelgood factor started to rise when the club were granted a work permit for Jamaican World Cup striker Walter Boyd.
Article courtesy of Jonathan Wilsher – Evening Post