Former Crystal Palace and Everton winger Yannick Bolasie has joined Swansea City on a short-term deal until the end of January 2024.
The 34-year-old, who departed Turkish club Caykur Rizespor at the conclusion of the previous season, is available for Wednesday’s game against Leeds.
Having trained with Swansea last week, Bolasie has convinced the Championship club of his potential impact, despite concerns about his match fitness. Swansea head coach Michael Duff expressed the need for additional players, stating, “We’re not in a position where we can cherry-pick the exact player we want.”
With injuries impacting the squad, including the season-ending injury to Josh Ginnelly and the absence of striker Mykola Kuharevich, Bolasie’s versatility is seen as a valuable asset. Duff highlighted that Bolasie, who can play as a central striker or out wide, brings different options to the team.
While acknowledging that Bolasie may not possess the same pace and power as before, Duff emphasized the player’s football intelligence, noting, “He hasn’t got the pace and power he once had, but you don’t get bought for £25m if you don’t know how to handle a football.”
Bolasie, who commanded a £25 million transfer fee when he joined Everton in 2016, began his career at Plymouth Argyle and had notable spells at Bristol City and Crystal Palace. His time at Everton was marred by injuries, leading to loan spells at various clubs, including Aston Villa, Anderlecht, Sporting, and Middlesbrough.
After joining Caykur Rizespor in 2021, Bolasie played a significant role in their promotion back to the Turkish top flight last season, following a brief period of relegation in his first year with the club.
