Clement wants 'John Terry' type character as leader

Swansea City boss Paul Clement wants to sign a player with "presence and leadership" qualities before the end of the January transfer window.

He highlighted Chelsea's John Terry and Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos as the type of character he would like to bring in to the Premier League strugglers.

Clement admits that those sorts of players are hard to find.

He would also not be drawn on speculation linking them with a move for Everton defender Phil Jagielka.

Former captain Ashley Williams was sold to Everton in the summer and the Swans have struggled in defence since.

John Terry makes a point during Chelsea's August, 2015 2-2 draw with Swansea

Former Sheffield United skipper Jagielka has played only twice since the Toffees' defeat at Southampton in November with Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori preferred in the centre of defence.

Alfie Mawson, 22, joined Swans from Barnsley at the end of August and has been part of a defence that has conceded 49 league goals.

That is the highest number conceded by a top-flight team this season and Swansea are bottom of the table as they travel to face Liverpool on Saturday.

"That is an important area," said Clement. "To have someone that's got presence, leadership qualities both from a psychological point from a view and from an organisational point of view.

"But you could say the same that that's important in a goalkeeper, that's important in a central midfield player and you'd like to think that you'd have 11 leaders out there, but you don't."

Clement highlighted Terry and Ramos at the type of player he admires along with Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"It's becoming more rare in football as well that you have these characters like a John Terry for example, a Sergio Ramos," said Clement.

"I've worked at lots of big clubs, they're the two stand-out ones for me. Zlatan is another example.

Phil Jagielka and Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson compete in November, 2016

"They're not easy to find these kind of players that have this confidence and ability to not only do their own job, but help others around them as well.

"There's a big demand on a player like that."

Clement expects his January recruitment to continue right up to the 31 January deadline day when they play Southampton at Liberty Stadium.

But he refused to be drawn on speculation linking them with a move for Everton defender Phil Jagielka.

Swansea's relegation rivals Sunderland have also been linked with Jagielka might leave.

When asked of Jagielka might leave, Everton boss Ronald Koeman said: "I don't know.

"It's all about if there is interest for Jag.

"Of course the last few weeks he did not start but he is important, he is the captain of the team.

"He is not happy because he is not starting and that's a good signal.

"What you need to do as a player is fight and make it difficult for the manager."