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When Swansea City were in the mix to sign Las Palmas midfielder Roque Mesa, respected Spanish football journalist Sid Lowe was full of positive noises.

"The assumptions that certain players are not suited to the Premier League haven't always stood up; (Juan) Mata, is he going to cut it in the Premier League? (David) Silva - is he going to cut it? (Santi) Cazorla - is he going to cut it in the Premier League? All these guys did quite well," he said on the Spanish Football Podcast .

"They were the very top level, admittedly. They were that level of players that either had to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona or had to leave thr country because they were that good.

"Roque Mesa is not quite at that level, but I think he's not far off. I think he is a wonderful player. I would imagine they (Swansea City) would try to protect him, that he won't play at the base of a midfield diamond, he will play slightly to the right, but effectively coming and receiving, sort of doing a Xavi role.

"There is a touch of (Luka) Modric about him, he kind of does those six or seven-yard bursts, just to get through one line of the opposition, and then the passing options open up to him. He's a throw-back in the way he plays."

That was at the end of June.

Fast forward to the middle of October and Mesa, signed in early summer for £11million, was left out of the matchday squad that faced Huddersfield at the weekend.

Before the game he tweeted "Let's go Swans. Matchday."

But he would watch the game in the stands.

“He’s not injured, he’s OK," Paul Clement said in his post-match press conference .

"I left him out the squad today, I thought that was the right line-up and bench for the game.

“He’s very much part of the plans for myself and this club moving forward, but I’ve got eight midfielders. One was injured – Renato (Sanches) – but that is still seven players for three positions and if you go with three in the team you can only really have two on the bench if you want a balanced bench.

“So someone is going to miss out and it is him on this occasion.

“But I’ve told him he is in the plans moving forward.”

From the little we have seen of the 28-year-old so far, Mesa looks like he has what it takes to get Swansea 'moving forward'.

Why are we not seeing him feature at present?

The story so far

(Image: Swansea City FC)

The Spaniard has featured five times so far this campaign - with just one start coming in the Premier League.

He lined up in Clement's starting XI that faced Manchester United on the second matchday of the season.

He has clocked up just 132 minutes of top-flight football since.

Granted, he has two full games in the EFL Cup under his belt too, but for a player of his undoubted calibre and price tag, it begs the question; why?

Does Clement just not fancy him?

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

The head coach's words seem to contradict his actions.

He was clearly disappointed with the midfielder for his error that led to Watford's winner at the Liberty last month, but also praised the impact he made when he was introduced at half-time.

Clement has always preached patience and about giving Mesa time to adapt to the pace and fluidity of the Premier League.

But three months later we are still to see a protracted spell with the Spaniard in the side.

He clearly rates the former Las Palmas man, but sees other players as better options at present.

Clement listed eight midfielders; if we take the injured Renato Sanches out of the equation we are left with Leon Britton, Sam Clucas, Tom Carroll, Leroy Fer, Jay Fulton, Ki Sung-Yueng and Mesa.

That is a lot of competition, but does he not even warrant a place on the bench?

Playing devil's advocate, does he really deserve a place in the starting XI right now?

When you have the evergreen Britton still zipping around the Liberty, like he was against the Terriers, dictating play, Mesa's absence is not so telling.

But given the veteran's age, having a like-for-like replacement in the matchday squad makes sense.

The fact Mesa isn't getting game-time suggests Clement feels he is not quite up to speed in terms of adaptation - but how will he adapt unless he is given the opportunity? It's a catch 22 situation.

In all likelihood he will get a run-out against United in the EFL Cup next week, but will he be involved when Leicester visit Landore this weekend? Following Swansea's positive display against the Terriers, one would be loathed to change a winning side.

His commitment cannot be questioned; he turned down an opportunity to return home during the previous international break to knuckle down at Fairwood.

Attitude, surely, is not the issue.

Are the comparisons with Modric, Mata and Cazorla et al a tad unfair?

As Lowe mentioned, he is perhaps not in the same bracket as those wonderful Spanish exports or the superb Croatian, but he is on the tier just below.

When he has featured, he's looked the part - albeit with a hint of hurriedness and the odd mistake that will soon dissipate once he becomes accustomed to the rough and tumble of the Premier League.

Before his error against the Hornets, he was instrumental to Swansea's recovery. Against the Royals in the EFL Cup he looked a man increasingly at ease in his surroundings. He was at the heart of everything good the visitors produced.

There is a tempo to his game that is sorely lacking when he (or Britton) is absent - something that has stuck out at times this season.

What happens now?

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

If Clement sticks with the 4-3-3 formation he selected against David Wagner's side, Mesa is the perfect man to play on the right of that midfield three.

Of course, Clement is the man in charge; he gets paid the big bucks and the ultimate decision rests with him.

If he isn't selected the Spaniard, who are we to argue?

His vast experience in the game affords him that.

Does he trust him? That is the biggest question at present. Clement is still tinkering with his side, working out combinations.

He got it spot on against Huddersfield. He was proved right in his selection.

But cream usually rises to the top. A player of Mesa's undoubted quality deserves a chance and surely will get one.

The fans - and player - will be hoping it comes sooner rather than later.