Swansea sign Atletico Madrid forward Borja Baston for £15.5m as they boost attacking ranks
Spaniard joins compatriot Fernando Llorente at the Liberty Stadium after Swans lose Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew
SWANSEA have dived straight into the transfer market for a striker after losing Andre Ayew to West Ham by signing Atletico Madrid forward Borja Baston.
Francesco Guidolin acted quickly in bringing Baston, 23, to the Liberty Stadium after the Hammers snapped up Ghanaian Ayew for a fee of £20.5million on Monday.
The Spaniard will link up with compatriot and fellow new signing Fernando Llorente after putting pen to paper on a £15.5m deal on Tuesday.
Baston spent his entire career to date at Atletico after joining the youth ranks in 1996.
He played for two seasons between 2009 and 2011 in the 'B' team in the Spanish third tier, netting 16 times in 36 appearances.
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However, his run in the first team was far less fortunate.
Baston appeared just once for Atletico in La Liga, coming on as a 58th-minute substitute against Getafe, before being stretchered off with a serious ACL injury 20 minutes later.
He never played for Atletico again and was shipped off on loan at Murcia, Huesca, Deportivo La Coruna, Real Zaragoza and Eibar through the past five seasons.
The young Spaniard's spells away from the Vicente Calderon Stadium have proved extremely fruitful, including netting 18 times in 36 games for Eibar last season and 22 in 39 a year prior in Zaragoza.
Now, Baston will join a far-fuller looking Swansea, whose forward line was left looking depleted following summer moves away from Wales for Bafetimbi Gomis and Ayew.
Baston will compete for a first-team place with Llorente, Marvin Emnes, Modou Barrow and Oliver McBurnie in the 2016-17 season.