Swansea City manager Alan Sheehan has expressed cautious optimism that the club will secure new signings before they kick off their Championship campaign against Middlesbrough next week. With concerns mounting over the lack of depth in defence, and several key players sidelined through injury, the Swans’ preparations for the new season have hit some early hurdles.
The defensive situation at Swansea City is particularly troubling for Sheehan. Club captain Ben Cabango, along with recent acquisition Ricardo Santos, are both nursing injuries, leaving just Cameron Burgess as the only fit, senior centre-back. Such a shortage leaves the team vulnerable heading into a crucial opening fixture and intensifies the urgency to bolster the squad. Sheehan, speaking after Swansea’s pre-season defeat to Lorient, did not hide his concerns: “There are certain areas in the squad we’d like to reinforce, and centre-back is definitely a priority given recent injuries,” he remarked.
Despite the difficulties, Sheehan remains positive about progress behind the scenes. He confirmed that talks with prospective new players are ongoing, but stressed the club will not rush into signings for the sake of it. “We’re in discussions with several options. It’s important the players we bring in are the right fit for Swansea, not just any signing to fill the numbers,” Sheehan explained. He praised the “good quality” signings already made earlier in the summer and hinted that further additions before the transfer window closes remain a possibility, although he couldn’t commit to a specific timeline.
Alongside the defensive crisis, Swansea are also awaiting updates on the fitness of forward Zan Vipotnik, who suffered a toe injury in training. The club are hopeful scan results will show the issue is not serious. “We’re awaiting confirmation on Zan’s injury. With any luck, he won’t be out for long – hopefully just a game or two,” added Sheehan.
Attention has also turned to Swansea’s pursuit of attacking reinforcements as the Swans look to sharpen their edge up front. Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone has emerged as a prominent transfer target, with sources indicating the Welsh club have already had two offers rejected for the highly-rated 22-year-old. Wycombe reportedly value Kone, who was named League One Player of the Year, at around £5 million.
Despite the ongoing speculation linking Swansea with the Ivorian forward, Sheehan was careful to steer clear of commenting directly on the rumours. “I’m aware of the speculation and noise around certain players, but it’s not something I’m prepared to discuss specifically right now,” he commented when asked about pursuit of Kone, who was absent from Wycombe’s recent defeat at Bradford City, fuelling further questions over his future.
From the Wycombe perspective, manager Mike Dodds openly acknowledged that several clubs have lodged bids for Kone, though he remains hopeful the striker will stay with the League One side. “The club have put forward a strong offer for Rich to extend his contract,” Dodds shared, noting that discussions about the player’s future have accelerated swiftly in recent days. “We’ve received four, possibly five or six bids – the interest has been significant,” he added, indicating that action behind the scenes continues to move at pace.
Dodds aims to speak to Kone upon his return to training next week, and suggested there is still a chance the player could feature in Wycombe’s upcoming fixtures. However, with just one year left on Kone’s current deal and mounting outside interest, his long-term future with the club remains uncertain.
As the new Championship season approaches, Swansea City’s transfer activity and injury concerns will be followed closely by supporters. It remains to be seen whether Sheehan and his recruitment team can reinforce the squad in time and ensure the Swans are fully prepared for the tough challenges ahead. The coming weeks will likely prove decisive for the fortunes of the club and those players with futures in the balance.