Swansea Rule Out January Ki Recall

Ki Sung-Yueng will see out the season as a Sunderland player after Swansea manager Michael Laudrup ruled out exercising his right to recall the Korean this month.

Quoted in the South Wales Evening Post, the Dane said:

Of course it's a possibility [to recall Ki to ease their mini injury crisis], but there are a lot of things you have to take into consideration.

Sunderland are last in the table, but they are in a cup semi-final and Ki is playing regularly.

I don't think bringing him back would help either of us.

If I bring him back he will sit on the bench and maybe play some games.

Imagine then, if Sunderland go to the final, how that would affect the player mentally.

It isn't the first time Laudrup has essentially said the same thing, so it appears to reassert his position on the matter rather than declare it. In fact, last month he said pretty much exactly the same thing but it got a lost in the shuffle somewhere.

Regardless, it's brilliant news for Sunderland.

The Korean has established himself as a genuinely valued player on Wearside, as well as a firm fan-favourite. His style of football is also tailor-made for what Gus Poyet is trying to do. To lose him this month would have represented a colossal blow to the club's survival hopes.

It probably would have represented a blow to the player too, who is evidently loving his role at the heart of the side and the responsibility that comes with it.

Let the good news keep coming.