Christie and Reach training with Swansea

Cyrus Christie (left) and Adam Reach (right) have made more than 900 senior club appearances between them

Defender Cyrus Christie and utility player Adam Reach are training with Swansea City this week as Luke Williams continues his attempts to strengthen his squad.

Swansea head coach Williams said last week he was planning to “have a look” at a free agent player during the international break.

It has now emerged that both Christie, who had a successful loan spell at Swansea in 2022, and Reach, another player with vast Championship experience, are to spend time with Williams’ squad.

Christie, who turned 32 last month, was released by Hull City at the end of last season, while 31-year-old Reach was allowed to leave West Bromwich Albion in the summer after three years at The Hawthorns.

Republic of Ireland international Christie is primarily right-sided, but has played on the left side of defence and as a centre-back and could provide Swansea with an extra option across their back four.

He featured 28 times for Hull last season having joined the Tigers following his stint with Russell Martin’s Swansea, when he played 23 games – and scored three goals – in the second half of 2021-22 after signing on loan from Fulham.

Christie has made 455 senior club appearances, scoring 14 goals, in a career which began at local club Coventry City and has also included spells at Derby County, Middlesbrough, Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

Durham-born Reach, another Middlesbrough old boy, has amassed 470 senior appearances – and scored 44 goals – since coming through the ranks at the Riverside.

Swansea were interested in signing Cyrus Christie on a permanent deal after his loan spell at the club, but he instead joined Hull

A left-footed player with an eye for a spectacular goal, Reach has spent much of his career operating as a winger, though he has also been deployed in midfield and finished his time at West Brom playing at left-back.

Having established himself at Middlesbrough – and had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town, Bradford City and Preston North End – Reach left the then Premier League club for Sheffield Wednesday in a reported £5m deal in 2016.

He played more than 200 games for the Owls before departing in 2021 for West Brom, where he made 78 appearances.

He featured 19 times in 2023-24 having been sidelined for part of the season by a quad injury.

Christie and Reach could both sign for Swansea even though the transfer window is closed because they are not attached to clubs.

Either man's arrival would represent a shift in policy after the Welsh club spent the summer transfer looking primarily for younger players with potential resale value in overseas markets.

The Swans have made a bright start to the 2024-25 despite some struggles in front of goal, with Williams’ side 11th in the early-season table having won three, drawn three and lost three of their first nine league games.

Swansea signed only eight players – including two goalkeepers - during the summer transfer window.

That was despite the fact that 13 senior squad members – plus four youngsters on the fringe of the first team - departed during the close season.