Predator

GETTY IMAGES

After scoring a modest seven goals last season, Swansea’s Bafetimbi Gomis will be confident of passing that mark and establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers.

Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis has made an impressive start to the Premier League season, picking up from where he left off at the end of the last campaign.

The France international has already scored four goals in four games, making him the top-flight’s joint top-scorer alongside Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez and Callum Wilson of Bournemouth.

Gomis scored twice in three games at the end of last term as the Swans achieved their highest-ever league finish of eighth, which inevitably led to transfer speculation surrounding the forward.

Keeping hold of Gomis goes down as one of Swansea’s best pieces of business this summer after he was linked with a host of Europe’s top clubs and Middle-East giants Al-Ahli.

But he stayed put, and after adding the impressive Andre Ayew to a squad which already featured exciting winger Jefferson Montero, Swansea now have an attacking trio which will pose a threat to many Premier League sides.

Gomis and Ayew have scored seven goals between them so far this season and the former, who turned 30 last month, appears to be benefiting from spending part of his summer at a well-known Italian health resort also used by Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

“Each player has an individual plan and you could see they all worked hard on it this summer,”' said Swans manager Garry Monk. “But whatever works for you, works for you and Bafe has come back fitter than he was this time last season.”

The extra work Gomis has put in during the close season has clearly helped the striker find his form. After scoring a penalty in the season-opener at Chelsea, he scored in successive matches against Newcastle, Sunderland and Manchester United to inflict more misery upon the Red Devils in South Wales. That victory was their third straight win over United, having done the double last season with two more 2-1 wins.

Gomis made his name at Ligue 1 side St Etienne, where he scored 40 times in 142 games before moving on to Lyon. Here he scored 64 goals over five seasons and played alongside new Manchester United signing Anthony Martial and Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren.

However, at the end of 2013-14 he was released by Les Gones, and Swans boss Monk jumped at the opportunity to sign him.

“I said when I brought Bafe in that he would fit in and go forward with the squad and you can see it now,” said Monk. “He picks things up very quickly and he is doing well. He is in a good moment — he has stepped up. We all knew how important it was to back everything up from last season and it has been taken on board.”

After scoring a modest seven goals last season, Gomis will be confident of passing that mark and establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers.

© PA Sport