Ethan Laird expected to be recalled before making Bournemouth loan

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Manchester United right-back Ethan Laird looks set to be recalled from his season-long loan from Swansea City before moving to Bournemouth.

The 20-year-old joined the Welsh side in August and was reunited with manager Russell Martin, who he played under at League One outfit MK Dons last season.

Laird has made 21 appearances for Swansea, so far this season, which have brought four assists.

But according to the Telegraph’s football reporter Mike McGrath, Laird’s time in Wales looks to be coming to an end as he is expected to move to promotion chasing Bournemouth for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

In his first taste of Championship action, the marauding Laird has impressed as his development and exposure to senior first team football continues to enhance.

At the halfway stage in the Championship season, Laird currently sits sixth for the average number of dribbles per game (1.9) and the number of times he is fouled per game (2.5), according to WhoScored.

With Swansea at the time of writing 17th in the Championship table, it looks highly unlikely that the Swans are going to replicate their Championship play-off final appearance from last season.

But if Laird’s anticipated move to Bournemouth does come to fruition, the Manchester United academy graduate will be joining a side who currently sits top of the Championship and has aspirations of returning to the top-flight.

It will be yet another step in Laird’s career progression, playing for a side that is seeking promotion back to the Premier League.

The best case scenario for Manchester United would be that Laird plays an influential role in helping the Cherries return to the big time.

He could then return to United’s first team pre-season training in the summer before potentially securing another loan move to the Vitality Stadium side and getting his first taste of Premier League football.

That would then set Ethan Laird up perfectly to potentially challenge the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot for the right-back spot in the United first team.

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