The Dutch are back!

It’s been a while since Swansea have signed a Dutch player, then two come along in two days!

Okay, so Leroy Fer - who has now signed on a permanent three-year deal - was ‘technically’ already a Swans player, having been on loan with us for most of last season.

However for a club that’s had very strong links with the Netherlands in recent years, it seems like ages since we last had a Dutchman on the books.

The club’s long history with the Dutch started in the late seventies when goalkeeper Nico Schroder signed, playing just one game for the club - during the 1976/77 season.

After that there were no more Dutchmen until the likes of Ferrie Bodde, Dorus de Vries and Cedric van der Gun turned up at the dawn of the Liberty Stadium era, before the earlier Premier League years attracted Michel Vorm, Jonathan de Guzman, Kemy Agustien, Marvin Emnes and - everyone’s favourite scapegoat - Dwight Tiendalli.

The Dutch have usually brought good, solid football to the club, so it’s nice to see both Fer and, now, Mike van der Hoorne arriving on permanent basis.

The 23-year-old centre-back arrived from Ajax on Wednesday, on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. He will likely give some competition to Federico Fernandez and Jordi Amat, although perhaps the only worry is he has said on the official club website ‘I have to improve and be better. [Ashley Williams] is a really good defender, maybe I can learn from him.’

Let’s hope it was lost in translation, as the phrase ‘I have to improve’ doesn’t particularly strike confidence in anyone - it sounds like something you say after a 4-0 hammering, not when arriving fresh at a club who have a lot of hope for you.

But at least if he is looking to learn from someone, Williams will be a good role model. Either way, it’s good to see some action in the window. Now we look to a striker!