BEN Davies looks to be heading for the Swansea City exit door amid reports he left the club's pre-season tour of America early to have a medical with Spurs.

Garry Monk's squad jetted back from their two-week Stateside training camp last night.

And there are suggestions that Davies was already on his way to meet White Hart Lane chiefs before his team-mates took off.

Spurs are thought to have had a £10 million bid accepted for the Welsh international, who was not involved in Swansea's 2-0 friendly defeat by Minnesota United on Saturday evening.

Davies has been a Spurs target since the end of last season, and they are believed to have seen an £8 million approach rebuffed earlier in the summer.

Liverpool have also been tracking Davies, who has become hot property after two outstanding seasons in the Premier League.

With a ready-made replacement in Neil Taylor, Swansea are believed to be ready to cash in on their asset.

And Gylfi Sigurdsson could return to the Liberty as part of the deal.

Sigurdsson enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell at Swansea in 2011-12, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances.

He was pulled out of Tottenham's opening US tour game against Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

Monk is keen on bringing the Icelander back, and Swansea are in the market for a goalscoring forward after Michu's departure for Napoli.

Spurs are also believed to be closing in on a deal for Michel Vorm.

The Dutch goalkeeper, who has not yet reported back for club duty after his World Cup commitments, has been a big hit in South Wales.

He made a £1.5 million switch from Utrecht three years ago and has been Swansea's first-choice stopper ever since.

But the summer signing of Lukasz Fabianski has put his position in doubt.

The 30-year-old is no longer guaranteed the Swansea No.1 jersey and he is unlikely to be content with a place on the bench.

Wilfried Bony is another player said to be on Spurs' radar.

The Ivorian has attracted plenty of attention this summer after a sensational debut Premier League season.

He has already been linked to Liverpool before emerging as a possible Tottenham target.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Ki Sung-Yueng is stalling over a proposed move to Aston Villa as he waits for other offers.

The South Korean is another to have been given an extended break because of World Cup commitments.

His future remains unclear after he spent last season on loan at Sunderland.

stephen ware

THE rain stayed away but the runners poured in as around 2,000 athletes made history in Swansea yesterday.

Clear skies and warm temperatures greeted the field as they assembled at the start line outside the museum for the first ever half-marathon to be staged in the city.

From there the group headed along the glimmering seafront towards Mumbles before turning back towards SA1 and finishing up where they started.

Lines of spectators cheered on the runners, basking in the mid-summer conditions.

"From the feedback we've received I'd say it was very successful. People seemed to have enjoyed the route" said organiser David Martin-Jewell.

"I've spoken to quite a few people and had some excellent comments, so we're delighted. The rain stayed away, which was good because it allowed us to show off our coastline. Part of the reason behind the design of the course was with the hope of showcasing the best of Swansea.

"We started off with the old with the city centre, then there was the quaint with Mumbles before the race finished with the new in SA1.

"We'd like to think we can grow this and highlight what Swansea has to offer as a destination. We'd like to put Swansea on the map for athletics and running.

"We're from Swansea and love the city."

The race was won by local solicitor Matthew Wells after an intriguing battle at the front.

He eventually pushed into the lead after a tussle between second place Mark Roberts and Scott Mahon, who came third.

Now Mr Martin-Jewell hopes the race can become an annual event and possibly attract top athletes in the future.

"In the last three miles there were a few twists and turns, the lead pack was chopping and changing between three guys at the front. That was good from a race perspective," he added.

"We've already announced the date for next year, it will be on June 14.

"It's tough to get elite athletes because of the time of year, but I'm sure we can attract even higher calibre runners in the future."

COASTGUARDS were able to reach an injured surfer on Rhossili Beach in record time on Saturday.

The new path that has replaced the steps leading from the station down to the beach means they are able to drive their rescue vehicle straight on the sands in a matter of minutes — rather than going all the way round to the Hill End campsite at Llangennith.

The surfer dislocated his shoulder around midday and had to be airlifted to hospital.

Steve Jones, Swansea Coastguard Rescue Coordination Centre Manager, who is also a volunteer at Rhossili, said: "The new path is a lot safer and quicker for us as we can get the Land Rover straight down it.

"It's the first time we've used it and we can now access the beach directly from Rhossili rather than going all the way around to the campsite which could take 15 minutes.

"There are often children playing at the campsite so this route is safer.

"On Saturday we were on the beach within two minutes."

The steps disappeared when part of the cliff face gave way in January.

Tonnes of rocks and earth crashed onto the beach below.

The new path has also been welcomed by the Gower Society.

Its chairman Robin Kirby said: "It's an iconic area and this new path now offers access to the beach. In place of the old steps, there is now a wide sloping path, which I think is better than the one before.

"I have seen people use the new path. It is used frequently and safely. It was important to get the project under way and I am really pleased that the work was carried out by a local contractor, a Gower man."

THE Ospreys have continued to tap into the talent emerging from North Wales with the signing of Wales Under-18s pair Morgan and Tom Williams.

Both have signed development contracts at the Liberty and follow in the footsteps of Wales Under-20s back-rower Olly Cracknell, who has also agreed a move to the region.

Morgan, 18, is a full-back, while 17-year-old Tom offers versatility across the back line. They both have been part of the RGC 1404 academy system.

"Morgan and Tom are two young men who have made a huge impression with the national age-grade set-up and who were highly sought after so it is fantastic news for the Ospreys that they see their futures within our development pathway," said Ospreys recruitment and retention manager Andy Lloyd.

"We have an excellent relationship with RGC, who share our views on ensuring a holistic approach to the development of young talent.

"Part of the decision-making process for Morgan and Tom was our close links with Swansea University where they will study for the next three years.

"I think this move shows how serious we are about recruitment for the long term, not just the here and now.

"Both Tom and Morgan have shown that they have the right attributes."

Meanwhile, Wales prop Adam Jones could be heading to France after next year's World Cup according to reports.

The Rugby Paper has claimed that the 33-year-old Ospreys tight-head has signed a pre-contract agreement to join European champions Toulon's galaxy of stars.

Uncertainty still surrounds Jones's immediate future. He is yet to agree a new deal with the Ospreys; there is also an offer to sign a WRU central contract, while he has also been linked with a move to England, with Championship side Bristol among potential suitors.

POSTBOXES or pillar boxes came into use in 1852, twelve years after adhesive postage stamps were introduced at a standard rate, regardless of where in the British Isles they were to be delivered.

Since 1905 most red postboxes are cylindrical and made of cast iron.

Why was a red Royal Mail postbox in the Marina painted gold? Following the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, several postboxes throughout Britain were painted gold to mark the achievements of those who had won gold medals.

Like the usual red postboxes, these gold post-boxes should be repainted every three years. Wales has seven gold postboxes, one being opposite Cardiff castle for the cyclist Geraint Thomas.

Swansea Marina's gold postbox stands in Trawler Road, and was painted gold in September 2012 in honour of 17-year-old swimmer Ellie Simmons.

As a member of the British Paralympian team she gained two gold medals. She won the women's 400m freestyle in disability category S6, and the women's 200m individual medley in category SM6, both in world record times.

Ellie, whose disability is classed as achondropasia dwarfism, has in fact two gold postboxes in her honour — the first being in her hometown of Aldridge, Walsall.

At the age of 11 she moved with her mother to Swansea, initially living in Tycoch, so that she could train at the Wales National 50m pool. While a pupil at Olchfa School she was the youngest member of the British Paralympic team at Beijing in the summer of 2008.

The 13-year-old won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle, and was voted BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

The following year Ellie became the youngest recipient of an MBE, and after her success at the London Paralympics she was awarded an OBE in the 2013 New Year's Honours.

When living in the Marina, Ellie would drive past the Trawler Road postbox on her way to train in the Wales National Pool.

A bilingual plaque (which is also in braille) explains why it is painted gold.

Gary Gregor

ONE of China's largest TV manufacturers says it is on track to create 70 jobs at its European headquarters in Port Talbot in the next three months.

Tongfang (THTF) has opened on Kenfig Industrial Estate after the town beat off competition to attract the company.

The £1.6 million investment was supported by £600,000 business finance from the Welsh Government.

It comes as figures released yesterday show that Wales attracted 79 foreign direct inward investment projects in 2013-14 — a record result in the past 24 years. It has created or safeguarding 10,441 jobs.

THTF is part of Tongfang Global, which is based in Hong Kong, and has international manufacturing bases in the US, Malaysia and Shenyang where it has the largest TV manufacturing facility in Northern China employing 1,200 people.

The company produces flat panel TVs, digital TVs and LED backlight modules.

Its Seiki brand is the second largest selling television in its sector within the US where it supplies Walmart and Amazon amongst others.

First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "China is a major market with massive inward investment potential and a market Wales has been targeting diligently through business and cultural visits, trade missions, business links and trading agreements.

"I am delighted to welcome THTF to Wales and congratulate the company on its excellent progress to date. It's good news to hear it is creating jobs well ahead of schedule and finding Wales a great location for its new base."

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said: "THTF was considering another location in Europe for this investment so I am particularly pleased that support and funding from the Welsh Government helped secured the project for Wales. The local skills base was another key factor in their decision to choose Wales.

"There are a number of former Orion employees in the area with skills and experience of working in consumer electronics so I'm pleased to hear that a number of these people are now working at THTF including some of the senior management."

Philip Jones, Director, THTF UK, said: "Tongfang Global already supplies a number of key retailers in the UK from China and having this facility in Wales means we can offer our customers a much better service with shorter lead times. We have ambitious plans to grow the business and will initially target the UK retail market before supplying Europe although we received our first order from France this week."

It plans to start manufacturing the next generation of 4K Ultra HD televisions in August to supply to UK retailers and will be the first TV manufacturer in the UK to build these advanced models.

A BARRISTER has been chosen to contest a Carmarthenshire seat for the Conservatives at next year's General Election.

Matthew Paul was selected by the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Conservative Association to fight the seat currently held by Plaid Cymru's Jonathan Edwards.

Mr Paul, who lives in Llandovery with his wife and two daughters, works as a barrister at Civitas Law in Cardiff.

He said his priorities were fair taxation and a successful economy, improving standards in the health service, achieving excellence in state education, and promoting agriculture, tourism and the Welsh language.

He said he wants to repeal unnecessary regulation of Welsh business and is opposed to the expansion of federalism in Europe.

Mr Paul said: "I am delighted and honoured to have been selected as the Welsh Conservative Party's candidate for the 2015 General Election. I will be campaigning for economic growth in Carmarthenshire's private sector, better health care and schools, and for the re-election of a Conservative government next spring.

"The Labour regime in Cardiff and Carmarthenshire's Labour-led council are mismanaging our public services, and I will hold them to account".

Anthony Frost, president of the local Conservative Association, said: "In Matthew Paul we have an excellent local candidate who is absolutely committed to Carmarthenshire.

"The Conservative-led UK government has put the right policies in place for economic recovery, and is making radical reforms to public services that should benefit the whole of the UK. Matthew will campaign hard to make sure Wales does not get left behind."

VISITORS to Pontarddulais will be properly welcomed with new signs.

Some signs have been branded shabby, others are missing from routes into the town, one has a different spelling from all the others and some are not bilingual.

Now community leaders are setting about ensuring the welcome is up to scratch and visitors know where they are going — in both English and Welsh.

Pontarddulais county councillor Jane Harris has spoken out about the problem and said action must be taken.

During a meeting of Pontarddulais Town Council she said: "When you come from Pentrebach to Pontarddulais it looks like the Pontarddulais sign has gone."

She said there had been considerable discussion over putting in new signs and payment could be arranged if the go-ahead was given. She added: "Do you want me to cost that up?"

Clerk Aneurin John and the rest of the members of the town council were in agreement.

Pontarddulais mayor Kevin Griffiths said there were problems with other signs in the area. "There are two signs with different spellings," he added.

Mrs Harris said checks would be carried out on all the signs.

"We have got to look at all the road signs, you can see that some are so shabby and get into a state," she said.

"If there is a sign with a different spelling it's not supposed to happen. It's hoped they will get them all done in six months, so a Christmas present."

Councillor Curon Davies said that there was also an issue with one of the signs not being bilingual.

He said: "There is a sign in Waungron, which is in English only and says Welcome to Pontarddulais."

Councillor Eifion Davies said signs were meant to be in both languages.

He said: "We have a bilingual policy."

Mrs Harris said she was under the impression if the signs were not previously in Welsh they would not be changed now. "If there were English signs before then they will not replace them," she added.

Liz Perkins / elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk / @lizperkinspost

IT HAS been a fixture on the Swansea coastline overlooking the bay for 25 years and thankfully shows no sign of booking out of the city just yet.

Swansea Marriott Hotel celebrated its birthday in style by holding an 80s themed party, to mark its 1989 opening. Guests were treated to drinks and canapes.

The four star hotel, nestled in the bustling Maritime Quarter between the Meridian Tower and the Civic Centre, has welcomed countless guests over the years.

They have included the king and queen of Hollywood — Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, as well as football manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United team.

A spokesman for the 119 room hotel said: "We held a very special event for our 25th birthday. We want to thank our guests, customers and associates who made the night very special for us."

The hotel recently won Swansea Bay's Best Hotel /Accommodation 2014 at the Swansea Life Awards.

The spokesman added: "Marriott has big plans for the hotel, including an extension, so we look forward to the next 25 years."

FOR Swansea's Rhys Cashin, it is a place where he can enjoy being, well, just like any other regular 13-year-old really. From spending time with his mates to playing video games or going bowling, outgoing Rhys loves nothing more than staying at Ty Hafan, a family hospice which currently cares for 262 children and young people not expected to live into adulthood.

Rhys suffers from Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, a neuromuscular condition. He and his family were referred to the Penarth centre in 2005, when he was four years old.

Of the children and young people who currently use its services, 37 suffer from DMD — making it the largest group of all the life-limiting conditions referred to its experts.

"I was about four years old when I started coming to Ty Hafan," Rhys says.

"DMD means to me that I get tired easily, and I cannot use my legs and body so well. I have difficulties in doing things, such as different activities. I have to use my electric wheelchair to get around. I can do some things on my own with support and I can get around in my chair.

"I do understand things about DMD; my muscles have started to go weak and other parts of my body are weak too. I have problems moving. I cannot walk any more but I use my chair to get me around. I need help in school and at home and when I go to Ty Hafan, I have my carers to help me. There are things I cannot do. But there are other things I can do with help."

DMD is a neuromuscular condition, affecting around one in every 3,500 boys. Symptoms generally appear in children before the age of five. By the age of 10 most boys will use a wheelchair and although life expectancy can vary, many boys do not live beyond their teens.

It starts in childhood and might first be spotted when a child has difficulty standing up, climbing or running.

Symptoms are mild at first, but increase as they get older.

The muscle weakness is mainly in the 'proximal' muscles, which are those near the trunk of the body, around the hips and the shoulders. This means that fine movements, such as those using the hands and fingers, are less affected than movements like walking. There is no cure for DMD at present. However, treatments can help.

Rhys is the face of Ty Hafan's Summer Appeal, which has been launched to help raise vital funds towards the £3.7m needed every year to provide Ty Hafan's services.

"I really enjoy going to Ty Hafan," says Rhys from Brynhyfryd.

"It is a great place to visit and to stay. The carers and people are so friendly, helpful and great fun.

"I enjoy staying for a long weekend. I like going out with my carers and I enjoy the meals at Ty Hafan — they are great. I like to play games in the den with friends I have made at Ty Hafan. It's fab."

The adolescent den is a designated area for older children and teenagers. It is equipped with the latest gaming equipment and is a space where Ty Hafan youngsters can be typical teenagers.

The room has specially designed sofas to facilitate hoists, enabling young people to get out of their wheelchairs and sit on the sofas to play computer games — just like any other young person.

Rhys uses a wheelchair but that doesn't stop him having fun.

He is often seen whizzing around the hospice, charming everyone he meets with his cheeky smile and wicked sense of humour.

He says being able to talk to other boys with the same condition is a huge benefit for him.

"It's cool chatting to someone who knows what you're going through," he adds.

"I really like hanging out with my friends at Ty Hafan, especially in the den!"

Sophie Williams, a palliative care nurse there, says she has supported a lot of children with DMD and feels privileged to do so.

She says: "It's a condition that would devastate most people.

"But the boys that I've supported at Ty Hafan have an infectious enthusiasm for life — despite knowing that they will have very short lives.

"It's a very important part of my job to create a safe environment for the boys; an environment which focuses on what they can do, not what they can't do.

"Mums and dads need to know that the people who are looking after their children are experts and fully understand the care their children need.

"As the boys have grown older, we've helped them to come to terms with life in their wheelchairs and made sure that they're able to enjoy the same things as their friends."

There is also a qualified chartered physiotherapist at Ty Hafan, to provide the boys with the physiotherapy they need.

"The main focus of the therapy is to maintain what movement, function and independence the child has for as long as possible through stretching, strengthening, respiratory and positioning.

In addition to the physical care of the boys, Ty Hafan also provides the emotional and social support to the older boys, who are coming to terms with the deteriorations in their physical mobility and skills at a time of their lives when all their friends are beginning to make the most of their teenage years.

Rhys's mum and dad, Sharon and Mark, say they have felt reassured there is an organisation like Ty Hafan to call upon when life becomes more difficult.

The family has faced many challenges over the last few years.

Their youngest daughter, two-year-old Ruby, was born three months premature and weighed just 1lb 13 oz.

This put an additional strain on the whole family as they were constantly in and out of hospitals until she overcame a number of serious health issues.

"Rhys absolutely adores Ruby and we are so much closer as a family after everything we've been through," says Mark.

"We were overwhelmed by how welcoming everyone was when we first arrived. The care team are fantastic and we can't think of a better place for Rhys to visit. He loves it and has made so many good friends as a result."

Every youngster staying at Ty Hafan is welcomed with their own personalised room to suit their tastes and interests. Each room has a sea view and is equipped with TVs, DVD players and all the necessary medical equipment to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

And Rhys can't wait to visit again.

"I love everything about it," he says. "It is a fantastic place."

Want to find out more? To support Ty Hafan's Summer Appeal, go to www.tyhafan.org/dmd

Amy Downward / amy.downward@swwmedia.co.uk / @Amy_SWalesPost

SWANSEA Community Farm has been given a major cash boost by kind hearted people around the country.

The popular Cadle farm has been awarded more than £106,000 from the annual Children in Need fundraiser for its "Growing Stronger" project, which includes playschemes and holiday classes for youngsters from across Swansea.

Alyson Williams, child and youth officer at the farm, said the project was about helping to connect young people with the food they eat and with their environment — and that the extra cash would enable them to reach out to more children, many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds.

She said: "Children will have a chance to get stuck into the practicalities of running the farm such as mucking out the animals, growing food in the allotment and preparing it in the cafe, as well as organising their own projects and having a say in the farm's future.

"We are now seeing second generation children coming to the farm and we've even employed some of our original kids as play, youth and cafe workers.

"We've also helped others move onto college and university to study subjects linked to their work here."

The 3.5-acre working farm — which attracts thousands of visitors a year — has paddocks, allotments, display pens, compost areas, bee hives, ponds, a cafe, and education area, and boasts a range of animals including ducks, sheep and pigs.

Nikki Pedrick went through every mother's nightmare when she gave birth to twins Oliver and Evan one month prematurely. She was rushed into hospital for an emergency caesarean section at Swansea's Singleton Hospital in 2008. Thankfully though, the twins were born safely. But just ten days later things started to go very badly wrong.

"Everything seemed to be going OK and the twins were able to come home at six days old," says Nikki from Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley.

"However on day 10 Oliver stopped breast feeding and slept all day. By 7am the next day we were in Morriston Hospital's A&E department, Oliver had symptoms resembling meningitis. Evan then started showing signs of being unwell and stopped feeding so both were taken to High Dependency Unit in the hospital's paediatric ward. Both twins were treated with a broad spectrum of antibiotics to cover various infections and placed in incubators to treat a low temperature."

Nikki, now 41, then became ill herself and was transferred to Singleton Hospital. Oliver sadly suffered a massive seizure and had to be transferred to the Heath Hospital in Cardiff while Evan remained in Morriston.

"I was completely beside myself and was very distraught," Nikki remembers. "I wanted to be with my children. Evan was then transferred to Singleton to be with me and I was discharged the following day. It was then we had the devastating news that Oliver was severely brain damaged."

It was later diagnosed as Quadriplegic Dystonic Cerebral Palsy. Evan and Oliver continued to improve and three weeks later were able to come home. Evan was then diagnosed with Spastic Cerebal Palsy."

Now at the age of six Oliver is completely dependent on Nikki who has given up her job as a medical secretary, dad Jason, and older brother Joseph who is eight. Both Evan and Joseph go to Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Trebannws and Oliver is a pupil at Ysgol Maes Y Coed.

The family though is now aiming to raise money for Evan to have an operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy which they need to raise a huge £35,000 to pay for. The operation involves cutting the nerves in the spines which are causing tightness.It should help him walk.

Nikki says: "With extra funds we also want to buy specialist equipment to make Oliver more comfortable. Our dream is for Evan to be able to kick a ball about with Joseph in the back garden or to be able to walk along the beach and feel the sand in his toes.

"Oliver's future is uncertain but we have been told that because he comes from such a loving family and has a great team behind him there is no reason why he shouldn't make it well into his teenage years and more hopefully."

To donate to the appeal go to www.gofundme.com/raisinglollyforevanandoli

Amy Downward / amy.downward@swwmedia.co.uk / @Amy_SWalesPost

A POPULAR teacher who helped to shape young lives for more than a quarter of a century has taken her last class.

For 26 years, Anne Hughes has been a much-loved part of Terrace Road Primary, and the first face children would see when they joined the school's nursery class.

But now the teacher, who is also special needs co-ordinator for the school, is calling it a day.

Head Alison Evans said the retiring teacher "encapsulated everything that is good" about primary teachers — and she wished her well for life after the classroom.

She said: "Anne has been such a huge influence on the school for so many years, a calm and caring teacher.

"She has been an important part of the life of the school for 26 years. Over that time other staff have come and gone, but she has always been here.

"Anne was the first teacher our children would meet when they joined us in nursery, and she made them feel happy and secure — she encapsulated everything that is good about primary school teaching."

To mark the end of an era, the school staged a special assembly — which was also attended by parents — to bid her a fond farewell.

The assembly included a presentation by pupils about life in 1988, the year Ms Hughes joined the Mount Pleasant school.

Ms Evans said all those involved at Terrace Road were sad to be losing the long-serving teacher.

She said: "It was emotional saying goodbye to Anne, she has given so much to the school over the years.

"We wish her well for her retirement — everyone at the school is really going to miss her." 

Jason Evans / jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk / @EvansTheCrime

ASSISTANT manager Pep Clotet has revealed Garry Monk is giving his all for Swansea City.

Clotet stepped up from the youth ranks to assist Monk last season and has now been handed that role full-time.

The pair have spent the summer planning together ahead of Swansea's next Premier League assault.

And the former Malmo No.2 has been impressed by Monk's work ethic.

"Garry Monk is living 24/7 for Swansea City Football Club," said Clotet.

"He is working non-stop and really putting the hours in.

"He is throwing everything at the job and his hard work, effort and enthusiasm is rubbing off on all aspects of the club. He has raised everyone's game and is determined to keep pushing standards up everywhere.

"He wants the fans to be proud of the team and the club. He wants them to enjoy watching the team. It's very important to him."

Clotet arrived at Swansea as academy consultant last October, while Monk has enjoyed a long association with the club that began when he was signed by Kenny Jackett in 2004.

"I know why Garry feels such a responsibility because I have seen for myself what this football club means to the fans and the community," added Clotet.

"It's really got him — and now me as well.

"It's important we never forget the feeling the fans have for the club and use that passion and support to drive us on, especially during the difficult times, which every team goes through at some stage of the season."

GARRY Monk has not quite ripped up the squad Michael Laudrup left behind and started again.

But certainly, Swansea City's new manager has shaken things up.

The general consensus at the end of last season was that Swansea were in need of an overhaul.

And as the clock ticks down towards the new Premier League campaign, Monk's squad already has a new look.

Already, five senior members of the playing staff who finished last season have said their farewells, and there are certain to be more to follow.

Michu, Leroy Lita, David Ngog, Roland Lamah and Alvaro Vazquez have said goodbye since the curtain came down on 2013-14.

Jonathan de Guzman could be added to that list, although Swansea remain hopeful that the midfielder will return to Wales following his second season-long loan spell from Villarreal.

The potential de Guzman deal is one of many which is yet to be concluded in a transfer window which has already been busy for Swansea.

Huw Jenkins did not bother joining Swansea's recent American tour because there was too much work to do at home.

And though progress has been made in the last couple of weeks, there is still much more business to get through.

Ben Davies and Michel Vorm look like being the next two players to go.

Davies's departure may not have been part of Monk's plan but, with Gylfi Sigurdsson heading the other way and Neil Taylor primed to take over as first-choice left-back next season, Swansea have decided that a deal should be done.

Vorm's imminent exit is less surprising given that Monk's first signing as a manager was Lukasz Fabianski.

As soon as the Polish international arrived in SA1, Vorm's future in these parts looked in serious doubt.

There were few signs that he would be on his way at the end of last season, for Vorm had another decent campaign as Swansea's No. 1.

But the 30-year-old had issues with injury last year, and Fabianski's arrival made it clear what Monk thought.

Vorm was never likely to stick around and be a second-choice goalkeeper — even if that is a role he is likely to fill at Tottenham given that their French international stopper, Hugo Lloris, has only recently signed a new contract.

Pablo Hernandez is another big name who wil be part of this summer's Swansea exodus.

It is a while since he was pictured training with Al Arabi, yet Hernandez's move to Qatar has not been confirmed.

But all the signs are that it will be once the finer details of his transfer are sorted out.

Monk liked Hernandez as a player, using him regularly — and inspiring perhaps his best run of form in Swansea colours — at the back-end of last season.

But the player was keen to move on and, given that he had just a year to run on his contract and had never completely convinced in Swansea colours, Monk was happy to sanction a deal.

Hernandez's sizeable wages can be used elsewhere, ideally on a player who delivers more consistently.

Hernandez, Vorm and Davies will eventually make it eight senior squad members who have gone since Swansea ended last season with victory at Sunderland.

It may be that de Guzman is the ninth, while Monk is another who no longer features on the squad list having hung up his boots.

And there could be more.

Ki Sung-Yueng is due back in Swansea this week with considerable doubts surrounding his future following his loan spell at Sunderland.

Aston Villa are keen, the Black Cats hold an interest — and there are said to be other potential suitors too.

Monk wants the South Korean midfielder to stay, but the crucial factor will be what Ki wants given that his contract runs out next summer.

If he fancies a move, Swansea will almost certainly sell.

Two more midfielders, Alejandro Pozuelo and Jose Canas, will definitely be on their way if Monk gets his wish.

The two Spaniards were frozen out at the back end of last term and if there were any doubts about what the manager thinks of them, they were wiped out at the start of pre-season when Pozuelo and Canas were told they were not required in America.

Alan Tate was another who did not travel across the Pond, so another move for him after last season's loans looks to be on the cards.

It all adds up to a big chunk of Swansea's squad heading elsewhere next summer — and that is without mentioning Wilfried Bony.

Monk is desperate for the striker to stay, but Swansea are likely to lose him if one of the big clubs puts £20 million on the table.

As of yet, that hasn't happened.

That is good news for Monk, for the loss of Bony would leave Swansea with a mighty void to fill.

Even with the Ivorian on board, they are in need of new faces.

Fabianski and Bafetimbi Gomis are two impressive signings, while Marvin Emnes is a full-time Swansea player at long last after his second successful loan led to a permanent move from Middlesbrough.

Stephen Kingsley, the young left-back from Falkirk, is the only other new face added so far by Monk.

Ecuador winger Jefferson Montero should soon join the list of additions, while Sigurdsson's return looks certain to happen too.

But even after those two arrive, Swansea will have room for recruits.

Another full-back — or may be even two — would be handy, while a central midfielder is likely to feature on Monk's wanted list.

And then there is attack.

Even if Bony stays, some would argue that Swansea could do with another centre-forward.

And even when Montero's switch from Mexico is signed and sealed, Swansea might like another wide player given that Lamah and Hernandez will no longer be around.

In an ideal world, all this would have been sorted a long time ago.

If he'd had his way, Monk's squad would have been finalised before Swansea flew to America.

Yet he returned from a fortnight in the States yesterday knowing there are still plenty of transfer issues to be resolved.

It could be that some of Swansea's key business is still to be done. 

Gareth Vincent / gareth.vincent@swwmedia.co.uk / @Gareth_Vincent

OLD Landorians stretched their lead at the top of the Swansea Bowls Leagues first division to 35 points after a couple of midweek wins and a defeat for second-placed Penclawdd at the weekend.

Old Landorians travelled to Bryn Road for their first of two matches in 24 hours and on a difficult surface came away with ten points from their 72-66 victory.

The rink of Clive Taylor, Eugene McNulty, Nicky Miller and Brian Fender in fine form as they top-scored with a 22-10 win against Steve Adams, and the visitors returned one other winning rink when Gareth Rees came back from a 10-6 halfway deficit to beat Matthew Jackson 19-13.

Swansea picked up four points when Tom Sloane defeated Alun Jones 23-12 and John Davies edged out James Cross on the last end.

The league leaders entertained Parc Llewelyn at Beaufort Road 24 hours later and raced into a 25-shot lead after the opening quarter before increasing that to 38 shots at halfway, and eventually went on to secure 12 points from their 110-54 victory.

The Old Landorians quartet of Alan Givelin, Gareth Lloyd, Stephen Rees and Gareth Rees top-scored with a 38-12 win against Don Batcup, and the home side secured two further successes when Gavin Rees beat Alan Edwards 29-11 and Brian Fender defeated Clive Donne 27-12.

Parc Llewelyn picked up a couple of consolation points when Neil McLean beat Alun Jones 19-16.

Second-in-the-table Penclawdd went into their match at Jersey 39 points adrift of the leaders and they only reduced the difference by four points after going down by a couple of shots in a dramatic climax which saw Jersey's Edward Johnson take out the Penclawdd shot to give him an 18-16 win against Paul Jenkins and an overall victory for his relegation-threatened side.

Jersey returned one other winning rink when Barrie Owens beat Adrian Hopkins 19-18, and Penclawdd picked up four points when Chris Jenkins and Keith Evans both won by the narrowest of margins against Tony Andrews and Howard Simons.

Swansea moved up to fourth place after picking up 12 points from their 87-71 win against bottom club Mynyddbach at Morriston Park.

The Swansea rink skipped by Tom Sloane raced into a 19-1 halfway lead and eventually beat Adrian Uren 31-14, while Matthew Jackson defeated Ted Uren 27-16 and Steve Adams made sure of the 12 points with a 19-14 win against Colin Absolom.

Mynyddbach picked up two points when Peter Locke defeated John Davies 27-10.

Parc Llewelyn hit back after their midweek defeat to pick up maximum points from their 95-61 home win against Dyfatty.

The Parc Llewelyn quartet of Ray Isaac, Russell Owen, Mark Batcup and Alan Edwards were in fine form, top-scoring with a 29-14 win against Robin Thomas, and the home side went on to secure the full 14 points on offer with further wins by Don Batcup, Neil McLean and Ken Davies against Brian Thomas, Russell Smith and Mark Jones.

BONYMAEN produced the result of the day in the Swansea Bowls League second division when they picked up maximum points from their 100-69 home win against table-topping Morriston United to move within a point of the leaders with a game in hand.

The Bonymaen rink of Alan Phillips, David Fisher, Allan Slattery and Marc Clement top-scored with a 27-13 win against Ian Norwood, and the title challengers made no mistakes as Rhydian Clement, Paul Brooks and Jeremy Davies all won with a bit to spare against Geraint Jones, Russ John and Lyndon Havard to make it very interesting at the top with only three points separating the top three teams.

Sketty Church moved up into fourth place after picking up 12 points from their 91-73 win at bottom side Manselton in a game in which the scores were level at halfway.

The Sketty Church rink skipped by Tom Snellgrove overturned a 12-6 halfway deficit to top-score with a 31-17 win against Colin Lightfoot. The visitors returned two further successes when Mark Bernard edged out Brian Emanuel and Graham Clark beat Lawrence Jackson 22-17. Manselton picked up two points when Tony Phelps beat Sid Page 19-15.

Hafod are just below Sketty Church in fifth after beating St Gabriel's 81-67 in a mid-table match at Hafod Park.

The Hafod rinks of Paul Griffiths and Glyn Griffiths both won by the same six-shot margin against Lewis Buse and Robert Kent, and Norman Burgess made it three rink wins for the home side with a 21-17 win against Allan Dempster.

The Saints picked up two points when Peter Cahill just got the better of Dai Griffiths.

In the remaining second division tie, Tawe eased their relegation worries and increased Dunvant's when they won the relegation battle at Ynystawe Park 82-59 and picked up maximum points in the process.

Ravenhill increased their lead at the top of the third division to 21 points despite being held to a draw at home by Inco Vale.

Ravenhill won on three rinks skipped by Dai John, Steve Mapstone and Michael Mapstone and that was enough to match the 27-9 defeat suffered by Chris Griffiths.

Clyne Valley remain in mid-table after picking up maximum points from their 84-67 victory against Llansamlet at Dunvant Park in a game in which the visitors led by seven shots at halfway.

The Clyne Valley rink of Norman Ace top-scored with a 20-14 win and he was backed up by Dillwyn Davies, Rowland Page and Peter Worsley, who all battled their way to hard-earned wins.

The battle of the bottom two clubs went the way of St Helen's when they defeated Salisbury by a single shot at Victoria Park. The Saints rinks of Billy Webb, Ken Gabriel and Dave Rabey all won and that was just enough to cover for the 23-10 defeat suffered by Colin Foster at the hands of David Evans.

OLD Landorians booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Carruthers Shield by defeating Dinas Powis by six shots when an extra end was required to separate the sides at the Vale of Glamorgan venue.

Old Landorians led by five shots after the opening quarter but by halfway the home side had taken a one-shot lead.

Dinas Powis increased their advantage to five shots at the 15-end mark before going 13 shots in front two ends later.

However, the visitors battled gamely in the closing stages and reduced their deficit to four shots going into the final end of the match, and all looked lost until Gavin Rees trailed the jack to the back of the rink to hold two shots. Dinas Powis skip Mike Ackland dropped woefully short with his final delivery.

This gave the recently selected junior international an outside chance of taking the match into an extra end or possibly winning it outright and the 22-year-old planted the nearest two Dinas Powis bowls into the ditch to leave Old Landorians with four shots and a measure for five which they narrowly missed out on winning.

This left the scores level, and on the extra end Keith Morgan, Gareth Rees and Gavin Rees all overturned shots against them, and with James Cross holding his shot it was Old Landorians who won 88-82 and booked a trip to Penylan in the quarter-finals.

The Old Landorians quartet of Clive Taylor, Leighton Voyle, Brian Fender and the outstanding Keith Morgan were in excellent form as they beat Chris Blake 32-13, and Gareth Rees edged out Alex Meddins by a single shot to give the visitors two winning rinks.

Dinas Powis responded with a good performance by Richard Janes, who beat James Cross 27-14, and Mike Ackland, who defeated Gavin Rees 24-21, although Rees came back from 16-6 down after 11 ends and produced that wonder shot to take the tie into an extra end.