Machu Michu: The Rise and Rise of Swansea's Spanish Goal Machine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLXWzsBfO3E It€™s not often you get a bargain on Spanish goods in the U.K. Tapas restaurants are overpriced and a glass of San Miguel never quite seems worth the money you pay for it. Not that Michael Laudrup finds it difficult to locate a Spanish bargain, as was the case when he plucked the relatively unknown Michu from Rayo Vallecano this summer for a hardly eye-brow raising £2 million. In hindsight, arguably this was the best piece of transfer business this season. So far this season the uncapped Spaniard has taken the Barclays Premier League by storm scoring 13 goals in 18 games for Swansea City, a feat which has seen him soar to the top of its scorers€™ chart, overtaking the likes of Robin van Persie and Demba Ba. His prolific form has made even Spain manager Vincente Del Bosque stand up and take note declaring in a recent press conference that, "The way he (Michu) has stood out in the league at a club like Swansea, which is not one of the top clubs, is exceptional.€ In the same press conference Del Bosque would take his admiration for Michu one step further admitting that Swansea€™s goal machine would feature in his next Spanish squad. However, it is not just this manager who is heaping the praise on Michu. Manchester United€™s living legend and current manage, Sir Alex Ferguson, has called Michael Laudrup€™s signing of Michu €œa wonderful piece of business.€ On the surface Michu€™s free scoring form may seem like a freak occurrence, but look back to his season with Rayo Vallecano and it becomes clear that the Spaniard has an eye for goal. As the 2011-12 La Liga season came to a close, Michu could hold his head up high, having scored a hefty 15 goals, making him that season€™s highest scoring midfielder. What makes this accomplishment even more impressive is that it was achieved whilst playing for, a side which finished only 2 points above Villarreal who of course were relegated. Why then, you may ask, did so few managers across Europe take note of the Spaniard€™s accolades? One explanation could be that before the 2011-12 La Liga season, Michu was hardly a stand out star having only found the net 15 times in 103 appearances for his former side, Celta. Another (and possibly lazier reason) could be that the record breaking Lionel Messi and the resurgent Real Madrid flooded the media, leaving few to notice Michu€™s break-through season. Whatever the underlying explanation is it worked to Laudrup€™s and, by extension, Swansea€™s favour. Undeniably the Dane pulled off a coup of a signing, running even the credible transfers of Manchester United€™s Robin van Persie and Chelsea€™s Eden Hazard very closely. Naturally Michu€™s signing (among other foreign imports) has again raised the question of why British players, who are not even half as good as their foreign counterparts, often command a much higher price tag. The question is a legitimate one, but I will let you dwell on that rather than taking off in another direction. The worry now for Swansea is whether they can keep a hold of their new super star in this transfer window or the next. It is easy to see why Michu could, potentially, become hot property in the coming months. As he proved with Rayo Vallecano and is proving with Swansea, he is an adaptable player and feels comfortable playing as a forward or dropping back into midfield, an exciting prospect for teams wanting to add a versatile player to their ranks. Do you think Michu is the bargain signing of the season so far? If so, do you think he will move to another club in the January or summer transfer windows? Whatever your opinion I want to hear it, so leave me a post or tweet me @Swedenberries.

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Contributor

Anders Anglesey is a black coffee drinking feminist, Private eye reader, football supporter, video game player and proud meat eater who recently graduated from university and is looking forward to starting his first job in September. Follow him @Swedenberries on twitter or, well, don't. it's up to you.