What do Swans need in window - and who might go?
Vitor Matos is heading into his first summer as Swansea head coach
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Vitor Matos wants Swansea City to avoid another overhaul of their playing squad this summer – but there is business to be done when the transfer window opens in June.
With the dust settling on the 2025-26 season, Swansea once again find themselves trying to work out how they can kick on in the next Championship campaign.
And as ever, transfer work will be a key factor as head coach Matos attempts to build a Swansea side capable of contending for promotion after five successive mid-table finishes in the second tier.
BBC Sport Wales assesses Matos' options as things stand – and what Swansea may be looking for as they build towards 2026-27.
How much work is required?
When talk turned to transfer plans at the back end of the season, Matos made his desire to avoid too much change abundantly clear.
The Swans have been busy in recent summers – there were 12 new signings last year, for example - but Matos expects a different story this time around.
After taking charge last November, the Portuguese helped Swansea brush off relegation concerns as they eased to an 11th-place finish.
His belief is that overhauling the playing staff now would mean wasting all the work done on the training ground across two-thirds of a season.
Matos is some way down the line in terms of implementing the high-pressing approach he favours, and would rather not reverse the process by starting out in pre-season with a drastically different squad.
But that is not to say there will be no fresh faces.
Swansea have holes to fill already, while further departures – some of which could be very significant – would mean further vacancies to fill.
Who could they lose?
Swansea have so far said farewell to three loan signings, with left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith, midfielder Malick Yalcouye and winger Gustavo Nunes returning to their parent clubs.
As it stands, that is it as far as senior exits are concerned, with Joel Ward the only player with a contract expiring this summer whose future is still to be resolved.
But there could be further departures, with Swansea braced for interest in Zan Vipotnik after his spectacular second season with the club.
Matos has repeatedly acknowledged in recent months that rival clubs have been showing an interest in the striker, which is no surprise given his season's haul of 25 goals for a mid-table team.
Should Vipotnik be sold, Swansea will have to bring in a replacement – even though they already have another striker with considerable pedigree on their books in Adam Idah.
Not only that, but the Swans may have a little extra cash to spend on strengthening other departments of their squad.
Vipotnik is not the only current Swansea player who could attract transfer interest, with Ethan Galbraith and Josh Tymon two more standout performers in the campaign which has just finished, along with goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
Republic of Ireland international Idah is another player who could conceivably be on the radar of other clubs given his CV, even if injury and the form of Vipotnik combined to limit his impact in his first campaign at Swansea.
Then there are players who could depart as they search for more regular football, such as defender Ricardo Santos – who made only one appearance after joining on a free last summer following his departure from Bolton Wanderers - and midfielder Ollie Cooper.
- Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Ethan Galbraith (left) and Zan Vipotnik were two of Swansea's standout performers in 2025-26
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What do they need?
Should Vipotnik be sold, a new striker will be an obvious priority.
If Vipotnik stays, Matos will presumably be content with his attacking options - though there is some suggestion that he would like a high-energy, high-pressing centre-forward option, hence there were January transfer links with Birmingham City's Kyogo Furuhashi.
Regardless of potential comings and goings up front, Swansea will be keen to recruit a winger – and ideally one capable of chipping in with a few goals.
Between them, Ronald, Eom Jisung, Zeidane Inoussa, Manuel Benson and Nunes made 132 league appearances for Swansea in 2025-26 and contributed six league goals.
Three of those goals came from Ronald during his purple patch in the opening weeks of a campaign in which Swansea needed more threat from the flanks.
While Swansea look fairly well stocked in the centre of midfield, it would be no surprise should they target another player with presence to play in that area of the pitch, with Matos conscious of the need for physicality in the English second tier.
In defence, meanwhile, there is an obvious need for at least one centre-back to provide competition for Ben Cabango and Cameron Burgess, as well as an alternative to Tymon at left-back.
Swansea have greater depth on the right, with Josh Key and Sam Parker being joined by Filip Lissah – who can also play centrally – following his impressive loan spell at Falkirk and Ward potentially staying on too.
While Lissah looks likely to be given a chance to impress at Swansea next season, it will be interesting to see what decisions are made regarding the other players who have been away on loan.
Cameron Congreve and Kyrell Wilson also gained first-team experience in the Scottish Premiership in 2025-26, while Ben Lloyd returns having played his part in Newport County's scrap for survival in League Two.
Joel Cotterill is another youngster on his way back after two separate loan spells, at Bristol Rovers and then Dundee, while Bobby Wales returns after an underwhelming stint with Huddersfield Town.
What do Swansea need over the summer?
Florian Bianchini, a £2m signing in 2024, is also due back in Wales after a forgettable, injury-hit stint at Portsmouth.
Could the Frenchman flourish under Matos, or will Swansea look to cut their losses on an attacker who has struggled - up until now - in the English game?
It is one of a few transfer questions Matos, Swansea and the club's new sporting director – whoever that may be – must decide the answer to over the next three months.
The squad as it stands
Goalkeepers – Paul Farman (under contract until 2027), Andy Fisher (2028), Lawrence Vigouroux (2028)
Defenders – Cameron Burgess (2028), Ben Cabango (2028), Josh Key (2027), Filip Lissah (2027, with a one-year option), Sam Parker (2028), Ricardo Santos (2027), Josh Tymon (2029)
Midfielders/wingers – Florian Bianchini (2028), Cameron Congreve (2028), Ollie Cooper (2027), Joel Cotterill (2027), Liam Cullen (2028), Goncalo Franco (2028), Jay Fulton (2028), Ethan Galbraith (2028, with a one-year option), Aimar Govea (December 2026), Zeidane Inoussa (2030), Eom Jisung (2028), Ben Lloyd (2027), Ronald (2027, with a one-year option), Marko Stamenic (2029, with a one-year option), Leo Walta (contract length to be confirmed), Melker Widell (2029)
Forwards – Adam Idah (2030), Zan Vipotnik (2030), Bobby Wales (2029), Kyrell Wilson (2027)
