Swansea City's improve bid for Newcastle's Routledge

Posted Tuesday, July 19, 2011 by BBC.com

Swansea City's improve bid for Newcastle's Routledge
Routledge helped Queens Park Rangers to the Championship title last season Swansea City have made an increased bid of around £1.8m for Newcastle United winger Wayne Routledge.

Newcastle last week rejected the Premier League newcomers' initial £1.5m offer but Swans boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed there is a new offer.

"We've had a couple of bids that have gone in," said Rodgers, who is hoping to make his fourth summer signing.

"We think he would fit into our style and excite our supporters. We will wait to see if we can agree a deal."

Routledge spent the second half of last season on loan at Championship side Queens Park Rangers, where he helped them win promotion to the Premier League.

But the 26-year-old, who has two years remaining on his current Newcastle deal, has failed to agree personal terms on a permanent return to Loftus Road.

The former England Under-21 international has also been linked with a move to big-spending Championship club Leicester City.

Routledge was loaned to QPR in January - only a year after leaving Loftus Road to join Newcastle for an undisclosed fee.

He scored five goals in 20 appearances as he played a significant part in Rangers' march towards the Championship title last season.

Swansea, who beat Reading 4-2 to seal top-flight promotion in a thrilling Championship play-off in May, have already added striker Danny Graham, defender Stephen Caulker and goalkeeper Jose Moreira to his squad.

Rodgers is a long-time admirer of Routledge and the Swansea manager has admitted he wants to add a winger, another striker, a goalkeeper and a central defender to his squad before the transfer window closes on 31 August.