Swansea City

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Luke Williams says Swansea City failed in a bid to sign Siriki Dembele over the summer, with the winger instead joining Oxford United.

Dembele, 28, signed for Oxford at the end of August, with the U’s paying Birmingham City an undisclosed fee – which was reported to be in the region of £1m – for the former Bournemouth and Peterborough player.

Swansea were linked with Dembele at the time and Williams, who was keen to sign a wide player before the August deadline, says he was on their list.

"There was [truth in the links]," Swansea’s head coach said.

"We weren’t able to reach a deal. I think is a very good player, a very accomplished player."

Asked whether Swansea had been outdone financially by Oxford, who are back in the second tier this season for the first time in 25 years, Williams added: "I can’t tell you what they offered him because I don’t know.

"Maybe the player just preferred the club or the manager. But I know we were not in the running in the end."

Williams says he is “very fond” of another of Oxford’s attacking players, Ruben Rodrigues, having worked with him at Notts County.

He is also an admirer of United’s former Swansea loanee Josh McEachran, who he coached at MK Dons.

But there seems unlikely to be a reunion with Prezmyslaw Placheta when Swansea go to Oxford on Saturday, with the Polish winger struggling with injury.

"I know there are some very high-quality players there," Williams said.

"They are a good example of a club being well run and coping with the step up in level very well."

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Luke Williams says Swansea City are in talks with Cyrus Christie – and club great Wayne Routledge, who is his advisor - over a potential deal for the free-agent defender.

Christie, who has been without a club since leaving Hull City at the end of last season, has been training with Swansea for most of October.

The 32-year-old has done enough to convince Williams that he is worthy of a contract, but it is now a question of whether terms can be agreed.

A key player in the negotiations is Routledge, who scored 33 goals in 305 appearances over 10 years at Swansea before his retirement in 2021.

"We are talking with Cyrus and to his agent, who is somebody we are very fond of, Mr Routledge," Swansea head coach Williams said.

"We are trying to speak to Cyrus and Wayne to make sure we get two happy parties and then we’ll see."

Christie played 23 Swansea games – and scored three goals – in the second half of 2021-22 after signing on loan from Fulham.

In all the Republic of Ireland international has made 455 senior club appearances, scoring 14 goals.

Williams views Christie as a player who can offer cover anywhere across Swansea’s backline.

"Cyrus has been great," he added.

"Everyone who knows him before is really fond of him, so hopefully we can get something done."

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Swansea City seem unlikely to face a reunion with Przemyslaw Placheta when they go to Oxford United this Saturday because the winger is struggling with injury.

Poland international Placheta, 26, made a positive impact at Swansea last season after joining on a short-term deal from Norwich City in January.

Swansea liked what they saw from the winger, who offered pace and balance on the left flank.

But the club’s concerns over Placheta’s injury record left them unconvinced about whether to offer him a longer-term contract in the summer, and he instead ended up signing for Oxford.

It is still early days in Placheta’s Oxford career, but his contribution so far will not have left Swansea feeling they made the wrong call.

Placheta has made only three appearances for the U’s, all of which came in August, as a result of fitness issues.

It may be good news for Swansea should he be absent once more this weekend, as they have often been haunted by former players.

But it is a pity for Placheta, a player who has obvious talent, but has been unable to consistently show it.

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Ian Walsh questioned Luke Williams' substitutions as Swansea City conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 against Millwall.

Strikers Zan Vipotnik and Liam Cullen both started against the Lions, although the latter was deployed in a deeper role.

However, with Swansea controlling possession and seeking a winner with the score at 0-0, Cullen was replaced by Joe Allen in the 66th minute.

Goncalo Franco and Vipotnik were later replaced by Ollie Cooper and Florian Bianchini respectively, although Casper de Norre struck a 90th-minute winner to earn Neil Harris' side all three points.

Former Swansea and Wales forward Walsh admitted he was somewhat perplexed by the decision to withdraw Cullen at a point where the contest remained firmly in the balance.

"They played Liam Cullen in midfield, in the Ollie Cooper role, slightly deeper," he told Call Rob.

"For me, Liam is not a midfield player, he's a goal poacher, in and around the penalty box. So that surprised me to begin with.

"They brought off Liam Cullen and brought on Joe Allen. You've already got Franco and [Matt] Grimes in there and you bring Joe Allen on in that similar area.

"At his advancing years, you don't expect him to go out and make something happen.

"On the other hand, Neil Harris the Millwall manager brought on three front players to try to change the game because he felt there was something in this game for him.

"Swansea could have been here all day and not scored but if Millwall had half a chance, which they did in the end, they'd take all three points.

"So that was my thought, why bring Joe Allen on when you're struggling to score goals and take Liam Cullen off?

"In the end, Bianchini came on up top and Cooper came on for Franco. It was a little bit too late."

Swansea have failed to score in any of their previous five matches - the club’s longest run without a league goal since 1996.

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Iwan Roberts feels Swansea City's failure to find a replacement for Joel Piroe has been the biggest reason behind the club's struggles in front of goal.

Dutch striker Piroe was sold to Leeds United in August 2023 having scored 46 goals in 96 appearances across all competitions for the Swans.

Jamal Lowe and Jerry Yates ended the 2023-24 campaign as Swansea's joint-top scorers with just nine goals each across all competitions.

This term, Swansea's struggles have worsened - with Luke Williams' men scoring just eight goals in 12 league games so far, the worst return in the Championship.

"I think it's [lack of goals] been a big problem for the club since Joel Piroe left for Leeds," Roberts told Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast.

"Last season, their top scorers were Jamal Lowe and Jerry Yates, they scored nine each, that's such a low total."

Former Wales striker Roberts does have some sympathy for Swansea's forward players though, and stressed the club's midfielders need to have more of an impact in the final third.

He added: "You look now, [Zan] Vipotnik has scored one in 11 [Championship games], [Liam] Cullen two in nine, Ronald none in 12, he's only scored three in 30 since joining the club, two of those came in the same game. Eom [Ji-sung], no goals in nine, [Ollie] Cooper one in 12.

"I don't see any of those players going on to score more than 10 goals this season. That's why they're in the situation they're in.

"They're lucky the defence is performing well, but there has to be a responsibility on the players in the middle of the pitch.

"Is Matt Grimes doing enough to get up the pitch? Are [Goncalo] Franco and Jay Fulton? I don't think those players are contributing enough in terms of goals."

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Owain Tudur Jones believes Swansea City's inability to recruit more attacking players during the summer transfer window is starting to cost Luke Williams' side.

Forwards Jerry Yates, Jamal Lowe and Mykola Kuharevich all left the Swans while Slovenia international Zan Vipotnik was the only traditional number nine brought in.

Although Swansea boast a strong defensive record, their tally of eight goals scored in 12 league games is the lowest return of any side in the Championship this season.

They have also failed to score in any of their previous five league outings - a sequence that has seen the club slip from seventh to 17th in the table.

"I think Swansea's lack of depth in the squad is starting to show," former Swans and Wales midfielder Tudur Jones told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"I think the fact they lost the winger Eom Ji-sung has been a problem. I think the 11 that start games and a couple in reserve, Swansea have a strong 13 or 14 players. Anything beyond that and I think the weakness is showing itself.

"I think that comes down to investment in the summer. Those attacking players who provide and score plenty of goals in the season, they're few and far between.

"The fact that Swansea have been unable to attract those sort of players, for financial reasons probably, is starting to show itself."

Myles Peart-Harris, Florian Bianchini and Eom are among the attacking players brought into the club over the summer, although Williams has had to shuffle his frontline on numerous occasions already this term.

And Tudur Jones believes the squad desperately needs further investment to give head coach Williams the chance to succeed at the club.

"You look at Swansea and the squad depth, it probably is a mid-table team," added Tudur Jones.

"Hopefully they can surprise myself and a few others and climb higher.

"It does seem that that is probably the level, unless more investment is made somehow to bring in players, whether they're free transfers now or going into January.

"At the moment, it just looks like a real lack of ambition and a real lack of backing for what I believe is a really good coach in Luke Williams."

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Luke Williams says Swansea City’s players have no choice but to cope with the weight of expectation in front of goal.

Swansea suffered a painful defeat to Millwall on Saturday despite creating a number of opportunities to end their goal drought, before Casper de Norre scored a late winner with the Lions’ only chance of the game.

Williams’ team have now played 525 minutes of football since their last goal, which came against Bristol City on 29 September.

They are the lowest scorers in the second tier having netted only eight times in their first 12 league games of 2024-25.

“There’s a lot of noise around football and Championship level is a big level,” Williams said.

“If that affects the players, I’m sorry but you have to get on with it because there isn’t a single striker on the planet who isn’t under pressure and doesn’t feel some pressure to score a goal.

“We have to overcome that, for sure.”

Swansea will return to action at Oxford United next Saturday, where they will aim to score for the first time in six league games.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales

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One goal in eight months of training and two winners at Swansea City.

That is the unlikely goalscoring record of Millwall’s Casper de Norre, Neil Harris revealed, after the Belgian’s late strike saw the Lions claim the archetypal smash-and-grab victory at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday.

A Swansea side who cannot find a finish for love nor money right now were beaten by a player who very rarely finds a finish.

No wonder Luke Williams felt “fed up”.

You have to feel a little for Williams, whose team did everything but score against Millwall but received no sympathy from those home fans who booed them off at full time.

Swansea have not scored in five Championship games, their longest run without a league goal since a stretch of six matches in 1996.

Williams’ side are having enough control – and creating enough opportunities – to win matches.

But for the moment, deficiencies in the final third are costing them dear.

Should we be surprised? Perhaps not, given the glaring lack of firepower in Swansea’s squad.

There are some players with potential, who may - though it is by no means guaranteed - develop into regular goalscorers given time.

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But the fact is that there is nobody on Swansea’s books who has a track record of scoring heavily in the English second tier.

So it seems a little harsh to blame Williams – as some on social media are doing – for Swansea’s considerable issues in attack.

Fourteen years ago, Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea reign began with a 2-0 defeat at Hull City, where the visitors dominated but could not take their chances.

Afterwards, a frustrated Rodgers memorably declared that he was “not a magician” and therefore could not conjure goalscorers out of thin air.

A couple of days after the Hull reverse, Swansea paid what was a significant fee by their standards at the time to sign Scott Sinclair.

Almost 10 months and 27 Sinclair goals later, they became the first Welsh club to be promoted to the Premier League.

This is not to suggest that the addition of a goalscorer to Williams' squad would mean a return to the top flight, but it would certainly help the cause.

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Luke Williams says Swansea City are ready for the challenge of hosting Millwall on Saturday despite an arduous week which included an unexpected tour of Manchester Airport.

Swansea return home to face the Lions after Championship trips to Blackburn Rovers last Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.

After being beaten 1-0 at Ewood Park, the Swans were due to fly home to Wales - a rarity these days, but paid for by the club on this occasion due to their fixtures - but the journey did not go to plan.

They made it as far as the airport, but an issue with their plane meant they ended up getting back on the team bus.

“We arrived back on Sunday morning at half two or three o’clock in the morning, because the plane was unable to take off," Williams explained.

"We got back to Manchester Airport on Saturday and the plane broke.

“The autopilot didn’t work, so we did a beautiful lap of Manchester Airport in the dark and arrived back at where we started, we just drove around. At one point, I was convinced that Manchester Airport had two control towers, but no, it was the same one.

“We disembarked and took all the bags off the plane, we asked the coach driver to turn around and refuel and come back to the airport to pick us up. So instead of arriving back in Swansea at 9pm, we arrived at 2:30am.

“Imagine we’re on the bus Friday, Saturday, Sunday morning, on Monday again, on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning, we arrived back at about 4am on Wednesday morning, so I’m tired, but I’m very happy because we have a home game and I’m very excited about it.”

The Swans will look to end a run of five games without a win as they take on Millwall, another side currently in mid-table.

“It’s Millwall, so it’ll be very tough, physically very tough," Williams added.

"They’re very organised, direct, and they challenge you in that way because they won’t switch off for a moment. They’ll look to hurt us, will be really bright around second balls and all the things in football that are lovely in that every team in the world has to do them, the things that are fundamental, they will do those very well.

“They have a really experienced manager (Neil Harris) who gets his message across to the players brilliantly and therefore, you know you never get to tickle their belly.”

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Luke Williams will show "absolute faith" in Swansea City's forward players - but reckons they should always be looking to strengthen their squad.

The Swans have not scored in any of their last four Championship matches and have seen a number of attacking players struggle to score and create goals this season.

"As a group of staff we've got to show them that we believe in them, that starts with me, and I do believe in them," said Williams.

"Eventually when they start scoring goals, we'll forget that they ever misfired."

Swansea's tally of eight league goals is the lowest in the division this term, although they do boast the joint-third best defensive record in the second tier.

"We're reviewing all the time, the footage, and we try to create the right training sessions and fine tuning actions," added Williams.

"There's been plenty of changes. Tactically we have to be very careful.

"Trying to score goals and conceding goals at the other end would be a disaster."

Summer signing Zan Vipotnik has scored just once since joining the Swans from Bordeaux while Ronald and Eom Ji-Sung are yet to score in the league.

Despite their lack of firepower at present, Williams has faith in his side's attacking options.

"The likes of Vipi arrived quite late on in the pre-season and hadn't had a particularly good time previously in terms of training schedules and conditioning because Bordeaux were in a very bad position," he explained.

"He's had to adapt very quickly, but he will be up to full speed and I'm sure he'll be a goal threat, I've got no doubt about that.

"Eom Ji-Sung, he's starting to look more threatening all the time, and of course he picked up an injury.

"It gives a great opportunity for Azeem [Abdulai] and Myles Peart-Harris to pick up more minutes, potentially."

Ronald has shown plenty of promise since joining the Swans in January, although his output in terms of goals and assists has come under scrutiny.

"Ronald, he's so close to scoring and assisting more times," said Williams.

"When you go through and break his game down and look at his actions individually, he can misfire as well, but the amount of good balls he does put into the box and the amount of times crosses are contacted but don't find the back of the net.

"But he's very close to being able to score goals and create goals more freely. That's exciting."

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Striker Liam Cullen's tally of two Championship goals is the most of any Swansea player after 11 matches of the 2024-25 campaign.

But Williams remains convinced that the Wales international will hit the goal trail on a more regular basis at some stage.

"Liam Cullen will find a rich vein of form as some point, scoring goals, I've got no doubt," added Williams.

"We've got the guys there, but we need to find that finishing touch and things will change a lot."

Jamal Lowe, Jerry Yates and Mykola Kuharevich all left the Swans in the summer, leaving Cullen and Vipotnik as the only senior strikers in the squad.

Williams has made no secret of his desire to bolster his forward options during the upcoming transfer window, and he has stated plans are already underway for the club to bring in new recruits where possible in January.

"We have to be looking at strengthening the squad continuously," he said.

"We have to be preparing, and as far as I know, that is happening so that if the right player becomes available and it's achievable for us that we can go very strong and try to bring that player in."

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Luke Williams says Swansea City are set to “have a conversation” with Cyrus Christie over a potential contract for the free-agent defender.

Christie has been training with Swansea for almost three weeks having been without a club since leaving Hull City at the end of last season.

Williams believes the 32-year-old is fit enough to make an immediate impression in the Championship should he join Swansea for a second time.

“There’s a lot that we like about Cyrus,” the Swansea head coach said.

“He’s still training with us so potentially we’ll be able to have a conversation with Cyrus and his agent and see if there’s something that can be done, because he’s looking sharp, he is in good condition and we know how good he is as a player and what a great guy he is.”

Christie played 23 Swansea games – and scored three goals – in the second half of 2021-22 after signing on loan from Fulham.

Then Swansea boss Russell Martin was interested in signing the Republic of Ireland international on a permanent deal, but Christie instead joined Hull City.

Williams believes Christie’s blend of versatility and experience would make him a useful asset.

“He can play anywhere across the back, and in a back three as well - wing-back, full-back, centre-half,” Williams added.

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“[He is] a very accomplished player and he still has his power and his pace.

“Kristian Pedersen has been out quite a while and we have a young guy in Nelson Abbey who we like a lot.

“But we have two experienced central defenders [Ben Cabango and Harry Darling, above] who have been really incredible. If we were to lose one of those guys we’d lose a chunk of experience going out of the team, so potentially he’s [Christie] a good fit.”

Williams, meanwhile, has backed Adam Reach to find a new club even though the former West Bromwich Albion player’s spell training at Swansea has come to an end.

Reach, 31, linked up with Swansea at the same time as Christie, having been on the lookout for a new club since being released by the Baggies in May.

“Adam Reach is such a good player, but I felt [if we signed him] we would probably be blocking somebody who potentially we see having a longer-term future at the club,” Williams said.

“If I felt on balance Adam was going to give us a huge spike, then so be it, someone would have had to wait.

“But I felt he wasn’t quite in that place. I am pretty sure he is going to be in that place again once he gets fully up to speed, because is a very good player. But we felt like it wasn’t the right decision for us at the moment.”

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Myles Peart-Harris says Swansea City’s players must find a ruthless streak as they look to end their goal drought against Millwall on Saturday.

Swansea have not found the target in more than seven hours of Championship football after their midweek stalemate at Sheffield Wednesday.

Across the three divisions of the EFL, only League Two side Tranmere Rovers (seven) have scored fewer goals than Swansea (eight) this season.

And while the Swans’ excellent defensive record means they are 13th in the table, Williams’ players are hungry to end their goalscoring troubles when they host the Lions.

“That’s the story at the moment,” said Peart-Harris.

“We can keep the ball quite a lot and break teams down, but when we get in the final third, we just need to be killers.

“It’s one of those things that happens in football, where it’s not going your way. But I am sure once one [goal] falls in, the rest will start coming.”

Attacking midfielder Peart-Harris, who is on loan from Brentford, is yet to score in eight appearances for Swansea, though only two of those have been starts.

He is one of a number of attacking players who Williams believes can deliver goals for his team.

“In training we are all putting in the work, all of us are doing the finishing drills and the extras we need to do,” Peart-Harris said.

“That’s the only thing the team is missing at the moment. Once we start scoring goals, I feel like we’ll be a top Championship team.”

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Andy Robinson feels Swansea City have "gone backwards" in attack following their goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday.

The Swans managed just one shot on target against the Owls at Hillsborough and have failed to score in four successive Championship matches.

"It was difficult viewing [at Sheffield Wednesday]," ex-Swansea player Robinson told BBC Radio Wales.

"When Matty Grimes is giving the ball away, you know you're struggling in a game of football.

"Not just in the final third, I'm talking all over the pitch, the lack of quality was awful. I don't think the five changes helped.

"In terms of the quality on that football pitch, it was dire.

"In terms of creating chances and getting into the final third, I think they've gone backwards in the last few games."

Luke Williams' side were seventh in the Championship after beating Coventry City 2-1 in September.

But having failed to win in five matches Swansea are 13th, and find themselves closer to the bottom three than the top six when it comes to points gained so far this season.

And while Robinson says Williams can at least take positives from earning a point away from home against Wednesday, the former attacking midfielder felt neither side deserved three points.

"Over the course of the 90 minutes, neither team showed the quality to win the game, but again, it's a point on the board and it's a clean sheet defensively," he added.

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Adam Reach has left Swansea City but the Championship club are still considering whether to offer a deal to fellow free agent Cyrus Christie.

Midfielder Reach and defender Christie, who have been without clubs since the end of last season, began training with Swansea during the October international break.

Swansea head coach Luke Williams says ex-West Bromwich Albion player Reach, 31, has now said his farewells.

But Republic of Ireland international Christie, 32, is still working with Williams’ squad.

Christie has impressed with his fitness levels given that he has not played since last season, while he appeals to Swansea’s coaching staff because of his ability to offer cover across the back four.

Even so, it remains to be seen whether former loanee Christie will get the chance to sign for the Welsh side for a second time.

“Adam Reach is not training with us anymore,” Williams revealed after Tuesday’s goalless draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

“It was great to have him with us, but we have moved on from there.

“Cyrus Christie is still training with us so as soon as I can give you a further update, I will do.”

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Swansea City and Jamal Lowe will be reunited on Tuesday with Luke Williams suggesting “most” Championship clubs would be happy to have the forward in their ranks.

Lowe was joint top scorer at Swansea last season, when he netted nine times in 35 appearances – 24 of which were starts – after returning to the club on loan from Bournemouth.

Lowe became a free agent in the summer, with Williams not ruling out the idea of Swansea offering the Jamaica international a permanent deal when he was asked in April.

However, Williams added that Lowe’s earning power may make a permanent move unlikely.

On top of that, as things turned out, Swansea spent the summer transfer window focusing on young players with potential to earn the club profit in the future.

Lowe, who turned 30 in July, ended up joining Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer.

A meeting with his former club will mean extra incentive for Lowe when Swansea visit Hillsborough.

Williams, meanwhile, says he would have been happy to keep hold of the former Wigan and Portsmouth player.

“I think most Championship squads would be very pleased to have Jamal Lowe,” said the Swansea head coach.

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“But you can’t have everything and we are happy with the squad we have, and we are also really happy that Jamal has a club and is playing regular football.

“Not everything is perfect in life, but I think in the end it was a good solution for both sides.”

Lowe has scored twice in nine appearances for the Owls, with his one league goal to date for the Yorkshire club coming on the opening weekend of the season.

“He is a very gifted player, we know that,” added Williams.

“He is very creative, he has good physicality and is a difficult player to deal with. But of course we do have some guys with some experience of playing with him - some players in the squad know him very well, so hopefully that gives us a better chance of being able to cope with him.

“We look forward to seeing him because he is a great guy, but we hope he has a quiet game.”

Williams said a “number of factors” meant Lowe did not join Swansea on a permanent basis for a second time, having previously done so when Steve Cooper was in charge in 2020.

He acknowledged that a lack of potential resale value was one issue, adding: “The most important thing is to be absolutely clear, nobody doubts Jamal Lowe’s quality or his character.

“He is an excellent footballer and he’s a pleasure to work with, but squads have to be shaped in different ways with many different views, so tough decisions have to be made.”