Swansea City

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Swansea City will be without Ben Cabango for the first time this season when they host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (12:30 GMT) but are set to be boosted by the return of Goncalo Franco.

Wales defender Cabango had played every minute of Swansea's league campaign until he limped off with a groin problem in the second half of their 4-0 defeat at Portsmouth on New Year's Day.

Head coach Luke Williams says Cabango's injury is "very minor" but he will not be ready to face West Brom.

The good news for Swansea is that influential midfielder Franco has been declared fit despite suffering a broken jaw and damaging four teeth in last weekend's win over Luton Town.

"If he was a human it would have been a big problem," Williams joked.

"He just put his teeth back in and left the hospital with a broken jaw and decided he's fit.

"On a serious note, clinically there's a very minor risk. I imagine it's very uncomfortable and painful. But his teeth have relocated to their original place, he's tough and he's desperate to play."

Joe Allen returned to the bench at Portsmouth after a hamstring problem and is another option for Williams as Swansea look to bounce back from their heaviest loss of the season.

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Luke Williams says Swansea City cannot blame Harry Darling for assessing potential options at other clubs as uncertainty over the defender's long-term future goes on.

Swansea had hoped to persuade Darling to follow Ben Cabango's lead by signing a new long-term contract.

But Williams has acknowledged that Swansea may now have to wait until the summer – when Darling's current deal expires – to see whether he opts to sign the new deal on the table at Swansea.

"I think that's a scenario that could play out, yes," the Swansea head coach said.

Williams says Swansea are paying the price for failing to extend Darling's contract earlier, given the success the centre-back has had since joining from MK Dons on a three-year deal in 2022.

"Like I have said a couple of times before, to clarify, things were left for a long time so Harry and his agent took the responsibility to make sure they protect him and have options going forward," Williams added.

"So this is more a missed opportunity from us early on... we probably wouldn't have got to this point and Harry would have been secured already under a new long-term contract, but that wasn't the case.

"We can't blame Harry for that. He's done everything in a sensible way to protect himself and now we're playing catch-up."

Swansea have made what is thought likely to be their best offer to Darling, who has started every league game this season.

Williams revealed earlier this week that contract negotiations were being "put to bed".

Ahead of Saturday's home game against West Bromwich Albion (12:30 GMT), Williams says he is now trying to "leave Harry alone" and "not add to the pressure" surrounding his contract situation.

"I don't know exactly where he is but he's playing great on the pitch and there's no question about his commitment," he added.

"I hope we do enough together that he wants to remain here."

West Brom returned to the play-off places courtesy of a home win against Preston on Wednesday.

Despite plenty of speculation that Swans boss Luke Williams might be the man to replace Carlos Corberan in the Baggies dugout, Chris Brunt looks set to lead Albion's interim coaching team once again for Saturday's 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Williams oversaw a 4-0 humbling at Portsmouth on New Year's Day as Swansea slipped to 12th, now six points adrift of the top-six.

• Swansea City have won seven of their past nine home league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (D1 L1), including in each of the last three seasons at the Swansea.com Stadium.

• West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 1-0 at home earlier this season, and last completed a league double over the Swans back in the 2018-19 campaign.

• Following a stoppage-time winning goal against Luton in their final game of 2024, Swansea could win three consecutive home league games for the first time since their final three such matches of the 2022-23 campaign.

• West Brom have won just one of their past 10 Championship away games (D6 L3) and have conceded first in their last three on the road (D1 L2) - this after winning their first three away matches of 2024-25.

• Gonçalo Franco is aiming to become the first non-British or Irish player to net in three consecutive home Championship appearances for Swansea City since Joel Piroe in November 2021 (five in a row).

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Swansea City head coach Luke Williams will have the chance to draw a line under speculation over his future later.

Williams will face the media ahead of Saturday's clash with West Brom having been heavily linked with the vacant manager's role at the Hawthorns.

The 43-year-old had been favourite with bookmakers to take charge of the Baggies following Carlos Corberan's switch to Spanish side Valencia in December.

But the BBC has learned Williams is not being considered by Albion for the job, while it is being said that he is committed to Swansea.

Yet comments made when asked about the links - made after the home win over Luton and the New Year's Day 4-0 loss at Portsmouth - where he failed to shut down talk of a possible exit from south Wales have not gone down well, with fans or with some inside the club.

Williams will have the chance to have his say later, but former Wales striker Iwan Roberts believes he could have handled the issue better.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cymru Dros Frecwast, Robert said: "I heard his interview and I think he's left the door open for West Brom to come in for him.

"If I was him, I'd have said 'I've got no interest, it's out of my hands, I'm Swansea manager, I'm looking forward to the second half of the season, we're only six points off the play-off places and I'm concentrating on my job with Swansea'.

"But I think he's answered the questions incorrectly, leaving the door open for West Brom to come in.

"I don't think Luke Williams has helped himself, he's lost a lot of support from what I've read on social media from Swansea fans."

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Swansea City defender Ben Cabango will undergo tests to reveal the severity of a groin injury suffered against Portsmouth on New Year's Day.

Cabango was forced off in the final few minutes of the game as the Swans were beaten 4-0 at Fratton Park.

Swansea head coach Luke Williams says they do not yet know if the Wales defender will be available for Saturday's game against West Bromwich Albion.

"Ben felt something in his groin, so that is a concern for us, now we have to assess him as quickly as we can," said Williams.

The Swans were without midfielder Goncalo Franco against Portsmouth after his nasty injury against Luton.

The summer signing had four of the teeth in his lower jaw displaced against the Hatters, and like Cabango is having medical assessments before returning.

"Franco is in a far better place than he was when he left the pitch," added Williams.

"We are hoping he is going to make a quick recovery but we will need some specialists to give us the all-clear to make sure we do not put him in a dangerous situation."

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Luke Williams has admitted he is an admirer of Joe Low as Swansea City continue their pursuit of Wycombe Wanderers' Wales international centre-back.

Swansea are keen to sign Low, who helped Wycombe to League One victory over Exeter City on New Year's Day, during the January transfer window.

A deal is still to be agreed with the Chairboys amid reports that Swansea have failed with an initial bid for 22-year-old Low.

Swansea head coach Williams previously coached Low, who is a product of Bristol City's academy, during his spell as the Robins' under-23s boss.

"He is a player that I have worked with before," Williams said.

"I don't know exactly where we are in terms of bids being rejected - I need to catch up with the chairman. But he is certainly a player that we like."

Low, who has two Wales caps, has been a Wycombe regular since signing from Bristol City in 2023.

Swansea are in need of central defensive reinforcements with doubts over the future of Harry Darling.

Another defender, Nathan Abbey, has seen his season-long spell at Swansea cut short by Olympiakos having made just one appearance for the Welsh club.

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Luke Williams says Swansea City have received no approach from West Bromwich Albion for his services.

Williams is among the names who have been linked with a move to The Hawthorns following Carlos Corberan's move to Valencia.

But the Swansea head coach said after his side's 4-0 thrashing at Portsmouth on New Year's Day that there has been no approach for his services.

And while he accepted that speculation over his position might be seen as a distraction, Williams said that had no bearing on Swansea's miserable day at Fratton Park.

"It can create uncertainty, can't it?" Williams said. "I think people feel more comfortable when they have clarity. But I don't think that's got anything to do with today.

"We looked like we were lacking focus and concentration and we got punished for that.

"It's very frustrating but that's where we are. We are not ready to consistently perform in a certain way. We are just not there yet."

Williams was asked whether he could assure Swansea's fans that he would not be leaving for West Brom, Williams said: "If they were at the game today I won't be going anywhere, will I?"

West Brom climbed back into the Championship play-off places courtesy of a 3-1 win over Preston on New Year's Day.

Coaches Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill are in caretaker charge of the Baggies following Corberan's exit.

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Luke Williams says Swansea City must replicate their performances in wins against Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town if they are to land a positive result at Portsmouth on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

The Swans head to Fratton Park on the back of successive wins but endured a frustrating afternoon the last time they faced Pompey.

Goals from Matt Ritchie and Josh Murphy looked set to earn last season's League One champions victory at the Swansea.com Stadium in late November.

But a Liam Cullen effort combined with Connor Ogilvie's own goal ensured Swansea claimed a point, and Williams knows his side cannot afford to be off their game against John Mousinho's strugglers.

"We know that it's going to be a very tough game," Williams told BBC Sport Wales.

"They were excellent when they played us here, they made it incredibly hard for us.

"They've had a really big result (beating Coventry 4-1) since we've played them, and they've shown that they can be a huge threat in the Championship.

"It's going to be a really tough atmosphere, we know that. We have to be ready for another really challenging game."

On his side's back-to-back victories after Christmas, Williams added: "The message is that we have to try to replicate this performance as closely as we can.

"If we can't win but we play in this way then we come away feeling positive like the next game is going to be a good one."

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Swansea City look like having to do without influential midfielder Goncalo Franco when they kick off 2025 at Portsmouth on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

Franco has impressed since joining Swansea from Portuguese side Moreirense in July, making 21 appearances for the Championship club.

He claimed his first Swansea goal in the win over Queens Park Rangers on 26 December and followed that up by scoring again against Luton Town three days later.

But Franco was forced off early in the second half of the Luton win after a collision with Mark McGuinness left him with damaged teeth and blood coming from his mouth.

As a result, the 24-year-old seems unlikely to be involved at Fratton Park, while he may also be a doubt for next Saturday's home game against West Bromwich Albion.

With Franco absent, Jay Fulton is favourite to win a recall against Pompey.

Fellow midfielder Joe Allen has not played since early December because of a hamstring problem, while Ollie Cooper has been out for a couple of months because of a stress fracture in his foot.

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Luke Williams says the January transfer window will only be important to Swansea City if they bring in players that "raise the bar".

The Swans are hoping to be active to bolster their chances of challenging for a top six place in the Championship.

But head coach Williams says the Swans can ill afford to sign new recruits in the winter market if they do not improve the squad.

"It will be important if we bring players that can raise the bar," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"If not then it's not going to be as important, it's as simple as that.

"We have to try and bring players in that have a superior quality to offer us, or we don't bring the players in.

"I don't think we want to panic and try to bring somebody in just because we feel like we have to.

"We need to try and raise the bar all the time and see if we can make this group as strong as possible."

While eager to improve his squad, Williams admits Swansea's financial situation combined with the league's spending rules mean the club will have to operate in a cautious manner.

But the head coach is confident that Swansea have a lot to offer potential new signings.

"I think everyone is ambitious now at the club in that way," added the Swans boss.

"There are challenges of course because we all know how the league is structured.

"Financially we have to operate within our means, which is fine, but then we have to try and offer players something that's exciting for them, something that they can buy into.

"If we're just competing with the rest of the division on pure finances, it's more difficult.

"We're thinking of ways to attract players here that they can buy into, and in this way we can attract a really good player I'm sure."

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Swansea City's victory over Luton Town on Sunday was notable because it was the first time they have come back to win a game under Luke Williams.

The last time Swansea triumphed having fallen behind was in October 2023, when Luke Cundle scored early on for Plymouth Argyle only for second-half goals from Jerry Yates, Ollie Cooper and Josh Key to give Michael Duff's Swans side a 3-1 success at Home Park.

Myles Peart-Harris' last-gasp header saw Williams' Swansea claim three points against Luton after Goncalo Franco had cancelled out an early Carlton Morris goal which had come courtesy of an error from Lawrence Vigouroux.

The former Leyton Orient goalkeeper has made a big impact at Swansea since joining from Burnley in the summer, thanks in no small part to his quality with the ball at his feet.

But Vigouroux's mishit clearance gifted the opener to Morris, and he had also been at fault for Hull City's winner against Swansea just before Christmas.

Not surprisingly, however, Williams was quick to defend his keeper after the Hatters win.

"It would be irresponsible of me to expect him to do what he does for us and think that he is never going to make some errors," the Swansea head coach said.

"Of course there's a balance to that, but at this point I am more than happy with the contribution he makes to the team, the way he keeps the ball out of the net and the way he helps us to try to score goals with his distribution."

While he acknowledged the feeling may have been different had Peart-Harris not headed home in stoppage time, Williams said Vigouroux's mistake brought with it some positives.

"It was a brilliant opportunity for the group to show how much they respect him because they responded and also for him to recover from it, so we actually took a lot from it," Williams added.

"I don't expect him to make too many more errors because it is out of character already and I think he is improving as the season goes on."

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Luke Williams says Goncalo Franco was in tears as he left the field against Luton Town because he did not want to come off.

Midfielder Franco scored his second goal in as many games to help Swansea come from 1-0 down to beat the Hatters 2-1.

But the 24-year-old was forced off early in the second half – and then taken to hospital - after a collision with Luton defender Mark McGuinness which left blood pouring from his mouth.

After receiving treatment, Franco tried briefly to play on before coming off looking distraught.

"He was in tears because he wanted to play," said Swansea head coach Williams.

"But he has four teeth in a completely different position to where they were when the game kicked off.

"The guy is a monster. He is not crying because his teeth have been rearranged, he is crying because he wants to carry on playing.

"I know when he comes off he is worried it is going to keep him sidelined longer than he wants. That's the only reason he is in tears."

Williams said Franco was "desperate to stay on" but ended up making way for Jay Fulton because he was "dizzy and he couldn't close his mouth properly".

Williams added that despite Franco's injuries, ex-Cardiff defender McGuinness had not done anything wrong.

"I think the player (McGuinness) tried to protect himself and he is a big powerful athlete," he said.

"He caught Goncalo right in the face but I don't think there's any malice."

Williams said he does not know yet whether Franco will face a spell on the sidelines, with Swansea back in action at Portsmouth on New Year's Day.

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Luke Williams says his first year as Swansea City head coach has been a "whirlwind" as he targets a play-off push in 2025.

Williams joined the Swans from Notts County on 5 January following the departure of Michael Duff a month earlier.

He steered the club to safety in the latter half of the 2023-24 campaign - with Swansea sitting 10th at the midway stage of the current Championship season.

And the 43-year-old believes focusing on performance will go a long way to ensuring Swansea can challenge for a top six spot.

"It's been a real whirlwind. I'm incredibly proud to be the head coach of this club, I love this club," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's wonderful, but it's incredibly challenging as well.

"We're out there playing to try and win as many games as we can. I think we know that we have to concentrate on performing in the correct way."

The Swans sign off the calendar year against Luton Town in south Wales on Sunday afternoon (15:00 GMT kick-off).

Matt Grimes finished off a fine corner routine to earn Swansea a point in their most recent meeting with the Hatters at Kenilworth Road on 7 December.

Assistant coach and former caretaker head coach Alan Sheehan plays a key role in Swansea's set-piece preparation, and before the return fixture with Luton, Williams praised the Irishman for his work on the training ground.

"Honestly it's a joy to watch," added Williams.

"I see Alan go through the routines with the players on the training pitch and it's really exciting.

"You can see if it's slightly wrong, he'll do it again and he corrects the details.

"He can see everything when it's potentially not quite right and it's a work of art.

"When you see it come off in a game, it's a special feeling."

Swansea City welcome Luton Town to south Wales on Sunday.

The points were split at Kenilworth Road earlier this month and both sides have had mixed results since then, with the Swans most recently turning up for a big win over QPR on Boxing Day to take hold of 10th in the table.

Meanwhile, the Hatters slipped to 18th after failing to find a way past Bristol City last time out.

• Swansea City are winless in their last five league games against Luton Town (D2 L3) since a 1-0 win in March 2021.

• Luton have won their last two away league matches against Swansea – indeed, they are looking to win three in a row for the first time.

• Swansea City have lost their final league game of the year in just one of the last seven years (W2 D4), losing 4-1 to Nottingham Forest in 2021.

• Luton Town lost their final league game last year against Chelsea in the Premier League, last suffering defeat in their final game in back-to-back years in 1988 and 1989, the latter of which was also against Chelsea.

• Luton have won their last four away league matches in Wales, their longest ever winning run in Wales in their Football League history.

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Luke Williams is optimistic that Harry Darling will follow Ben Cabango's lead by signing a new contract at Swansea City.

Wales international Cabango, 24, ended speculation over his future by agreeing a deal running until 2028 on Christmas Eve.

But as it stands, Cabango's centre-back partner Darling, 25, will be a free agent at the end of this season.

Asked about the chances of Darling agreeing a new contract in the wake of Cabango, Williams said: "I am very hopeful.

"If a top player [like Cabango] in a really good position with a lot of options, playing for the national team, commits to the club, I think if I was Harry it would make me think 'OK, we could be on to something and maybe I'm going to have a really good partnership with a player alongside me'.

"Hopefully that gives him an added incentive to sign."

Cabango and Darling have been two of Swansea's most consistent performers, starting every league game together at the heart of Williams' defence.

There had been concerns that both players would be lured away on free transfers come next summer, meaning Cabango's decision to recommit to the club where he came through the ranks represents a major boost.

"When Ben signed I felt like shouting 'he's been', like the little ones shout on Christmas morning," Williams added with a smile.

"You could see he played [in Wednesday's win over Queens Park Rangers] with a clear mind, at his very best.

"That was a top performance from him, like we have become used to."

Cabango and Darling will again be alongside each other in defence when Swansea look to build on the QPR win in Sunday's home game against Luton Town.

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Iwan Roberts says Swansea City's performance and result against Queens Park Rangers was just the reaction head coach Luke Williams needed from his players following defeats to Sunderland and Hull City.

The Swans defeated the London side 3-0 thanks to a brace from Liam Cullen along with an effort from summer signing Goncalo Franco.

And ex-Wales forward Roberts believes Sunday's home fixture against Luton Town provides the Swans with another great opportunity to end 2024 on a high note.

"It's exactly the reaction Luke Williams was looking for after that terrible result at Hull," he told BBC Radio Cymru Dros Frecwast.

"Liam Cullen, four in four for him, six goals in his last eight games.

"Swansea, they're 10th after that win and it's their first clean sheet in nine games.

"They welcome Luton on Sunday, and they've lost their last eight away games, so it's a great chance for Luke Williams' team to win back-to-back games at the Swansea.com Stadium."

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Former Swansea City defender John Moore has died at the age of 79.

Liverpool-born Moore was a product of Everton's academy and had spells with Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town before joining the Swans in 1973.

He made 31 league appearances during a two-year spell with the club before retiring due to a knee injury.

A Swansea statement read: "Everyone at Swansea City sends their sincerest condolences to John's friends and family at this sad time."