Graham Potter: Swansea's new manager will lead player recruitment

New manager Graham Potter says he will take the lead on Swansea's recruitment as he outlines his plans for next term.

Potter, 43, backed the club's decision to hold firm on bids for defender Alfie Mawson and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

The club has been criticised for their transfer dealings in the years leading up to their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship in May.

"We know mistakes have been made and there will be possibilities for us to change and restructure," said Potter.

The former Birmingham, Stoke, West Brom and York full-back has signed a three-year deal after leaving Swedish side FK Ostersunds to replace Carlos Carvalhal.

Chairman Jenkins 'supportive'

Swansea were understood to be targeting a technical director, although Potter said a director of football had not been part of discussions with chairman Huw Jenkins.

Potter spent seven years with Ostersunds and - along with assistant manager Billy Reid - has brought recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay from the Swedish side.

"[Macaulay] was a crucial part of our success at Ostersunds," said Potter, who led the club to the knockout stages of the Europa League. "He helped me enormously with recruitment and he will be part of that restructuring.

"[The chairman] has been very supportive and indicated he wants me to take the lead on those decisions.

"That was part of the discussions and part of why we brought Kyle in. I have no complaints, the responsibility is with me.

"But I'm not someone who will try and dictate everything. There are good people at the club and we can all work together towards success on the pitch.

"We will use the resources that we have, we will restructure because we are coming down from the Premier League and there's an opportunity for us to look at everything at the club to improve and get better."

Potter says his first task will be to assess the current squad after the Swans were relegated after seven seasons in the top flight.

Player departures?

Swansea are tipped to lose key men but last week rejected bids from West Ham for Mawson and Fabianski.

"Any player that leaves has to go on the right terms for the football club, but at the same time we don't want anybody who doesn't want to be here," said Potter.

"We have to make good, balanced decisions and we've started already with that process. But we want players proud to represent Swansea.

"There will be some money to spend, of course, but it's a process. We need to add to the group. There will be some that move out so we have space.

"The challenge is to have an idea of how we want to play and align that with the right players and work on trying to bring a stable group that people are proud of."

Potter said he was aware of the need to rediscover Swansea's playing identity, adding that relegation gives the club the opportunity to "start again".

• Give Potter time, says Hopcutt

He intends to implement a possession-based, attacking gameplan and also spoke of his desire to put pride back into supporters disillusioned by recent struggles.

"Every appointment is a gamble, but I know what I have done and I know how to learn fast," Potter added.

"The Championship is a very tough competition and I am not going to sit here and say I am a genius - and I'm not going to use a magic wand reference with a surname like mine!

"But I feel I will get the tools to do the job. I chose to leave somewhere I was happy and settled to come here, and I would not do that if I did not think I had the support I need.

"The owners and chairman have been really positive and given me the sense we can really do something."