Swansea make improved contract offer to Darling

Harry Darling played for Cambridge United and MK Dons before stepping up to the Championship with Swansea City in 2022

Swansea City say they are "hopeful of a positive outcome" after making a fresh contract offer to Harry Darling.

Centre-back Darling, 25, sees his current deal expire this summer and will therefore be available on a free transfer after the Championship season ends this weekend.

Swansea attempted to tie Darling to a new contract earlier in the campaign, with the offer remaining on the table for a number of months.

But with new boss Alan Sheehan keen to keep hold of one of his most consistent performers, the club have made a new attempt to convince Darling to stay in Wales.

"We have made another offer to Harry. We believe it's a strong offer," director of football Richard Montague said.

"Harry is in a privileged position now where has the opportunity to look around and decide what's best for him and his family.

"But we believe we have put our best foot forward."

Bristol City, Birmingham City and Sheffield United are among the clubs who have been touted as admirers of Darling.

Signed for more than £1m by Russell Martin in 2022, the former MK Dons player has played 112 games – and chipped in with 12 goals – in a Swansea shirt.

This has been arguably Darling's best season yet, with five goals coming in 39 appearances.

"Alan and I had him in the office for about an hour earlier trying to persuade him why Swansea is the best place for him to continue his career, and we really believe it is," Montague added.

"We are hopeful of a positive outcome but we recognise that there are a lot of clubs that can offer a lot of things, and Harry needs to do what's right for him and his family.

"We are doing everything we can to try to make it a positive outcome for us."

Kyle Naughton has been a Swansea player since January 2015, but could depart with his contract set to expire this summer

Darling is a doubt for Swansea's final game of the campaign, at home to Oxford United on Saturday (12:30 BST), after getting injured in an "accident" on the morning of last weekend's defeat at Millwall.

Swansea have declined to divulge details of what happened, with Sheehan saying on Thursday: "He has seen the doctor and we will have to assess him before the weekend."

As well as Darling, veterans Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton see their Swansea contracts expire this summer as things stand, as do Kristian Pedersen, Cyrus Christie and back-up goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.

Hannes Delcroix - who could again start in Darling's absence - sees his loan spell come to an end, as do Lewis O'Brien and Myles Peart-Harris, who returned to parent club Brentford in March because of injury.