Swansea has ruled out a move for Negredo

Michael Laudrup has ruled Swansea out of a move for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo, saying the club do not have the financial muscle to compete for the Spain international.



Laudrup is known to be keen to bring in Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo, but reports in Spain had suggested Swansea had entered the race to snap up £13million-rated forward, who has scored 18 goals in La Liga this season.



But with Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle reportedly among the clubs monitoring 27-year-old Negredo, Laudrup does not believe the Liberty Stadium will be his destination.



He said: "I don't think that's possible because there are other teams that want him and we are talking double figures in terms of a transfer fee.



"It is out of our league, we cannot pay 10, 12 or £14million for a player."



Laudrup is keen to bolster his striking options for next season to ease the burden on Michu, who has scored 21 goals during a stunning maiden campaign in English football.



While the Spaniard has primarily been used as a striker due to his goalscoring record, he prefers to play as an attacking midfielder.



"Michu has done way beyond what any of us could ask of him," said Laudrup.



"He has scored 17 league goals and over 20 in all competitions.



"It is true in the last four or five games he has had chances he would have scored earlier in the season, but when you are talking about players like that there will be moments they just touch the ball and it will go in, other times it won't.



"But he is always there when there is a chance. Against Norwich he had two or three chances and against Tottenham as well.



"Maybe he is not scoring now as he did before, but that is because it was way above what we could ask from him.



"He is our goalscorer but we cannot put everything on his shoulders, everyone has to score. But when there is a chance you can count on him to be there."



Swansea travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday looking to end a run of five games without a win.



The Swans are undefeated in their three games against the Blues this season, keeping two clean sheets in the Capital One Cup semi-final meetings between the sides.



"We have done well against them, and this is our fourth game this season.



"It was an intense game in the league here where we got a late equaliser from Pablo Hernandez to make it 1-1.



"The two semi-finals were special games because of their importance to the club, but we will play a team who it seems are almost playing every day at the moment.



"They have one foot in the Europa League final, but Sunday is maybe more important for them. They are playing for a Champions League spot, which for a club of their size is most important."

Liverpool face battle to sign Swansea's Ashley William

Liverpool will face a battle to land summer target Ashley Williams with Arsenal ready to step up their interest in the Swansea City defender.

The LIVERPOOL ECHO revealed last month that Williams, 28, is high on Brendan Rodgers’ shortlist as he looks to strengthen his Reds squad in the close-season.



The Wales captain is valued at around £12m by Swansea, with Rodgers keen to persuade Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owners, to sanction a deal.



Liverpool, however, value the player closer to £8m, and hope they can use his already-strong relationship with Rodgers as a tool to convince him to move to Merseyside.



Arsenal’s interest in Williams, though, is serious. Reports that the Gunners had a £9m bid rejected by Swansea in January are wide of the mark, but it is understood that they are now ready to make a formal offer, though their hopes of landing him could depend on whether or not they secure Champions League football next season.



Williams still has three years remaining on his current Swansea contract and, in a financial sense at least, the Welsh side have no pressing need to sell.



Relations between themselves and Liverpool were soured somewhat by the Reds’ pursuit of Joe Allen last summer. Swansea accused Liverpool of reneging on a written agreement not to target any of their players for a period of 12 months following Rodgers’ move to Anfield, and the Reds boss knows that Williams will not come cheap this summer.



He also knows he must convince Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, that a move for a player who will turn 29 in August fits in with the club’s policy of buying younger players with potential sell-on value.



Swans manager Michael Laudrup admitted recently that he was powerless to prevent players such as Williams leaving the Liberty Stadium for bigger salaries elsewhere.



“Ashley renewed his contract, and you can never know in football,” Laudrup said. “Sometimes an offer can come doubling your salary to play for a bigger club. You would at least think about it. It’s the same for everyone.”



Liverpool do have alternative defensive targets in mind, with Ajax’s Toby Alderweireld also earmarked.