Championship sides Swansea City and Sheffield Wednesday have both submitted contract offers to ex-Bolton Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos.
Santos is a free agent after leaving League One outfit Bolton after five years at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Many clubs have released their retained lists, meaning there are plenty of available players on free transfers.
With the transfer window opening for a short period on Sunday June 1, clubs have started laying the groundwork for next season.
Championship Interest Despite An Injury-Hit Campaign
Although Santos struggled in the latter parts of the 2024/25 season with a chronic pelvic injury, he started 25 games in the league, playing a total of 32 times in all competitions.
His injury meant he missed three months, starting just one game under new Trotters manager Steven Schumacher after the club parted ways with Ian Evatt, who stripped the Portuguese defender of his captaincy after four years in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign.
Despite uncertainty over their manager’s future at the club, Sheffield Wednesday are one of the second-tier clubs that are looking to the 29-year-old to strengthen their backline ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Owls recently released their retained list, which revealed that defenders Michael Ihiekwe, Ryo Hatsuse and Pol Valentin had all been let go of by the club, meaning Santos would prove crucial defensive cover, even if he wasn’t set to be a starter at Hillsborough.
Swansea are another club who have reportedly made Santos an offer, as new manager Alan Sheehan looks to build his own squad in South Wales after a strong finish to the last campaign.
Much like Wednesday, the Swans are looking to add depth to their backline, with the departure of defenders Kyle Naughton, Cyrus Christie and Kristian Pedersen, alongside the fact that Harry Darling’s contract is set to expire this summer.
This isn’t the only time Santos has been linked with a Championship move away from the Toughsheet Stadium in his tenure at Bolton, with multiple rumoured moves away during the latter part of his stint.
Despite his release after a rocky campaign last season, the 29-year-old isn’t short of offers.
Writer’s View
Santos has shown throughout his five-year stay at Bolton that on his day, he was one of the best centre-backs in League One. Although the step up to second-tier football might come later than anticipated, there’s no doubt that Santos is ready to step up, even if he plays a more of a backseat role than he’s used to.
With the challenge of the Championship ever-present, both sides require reinforcements if they want to be competitive in the league next season, especially with the quality of the sides who have been relegated from the Premier League and the sides who have been promoted from League One. With the choice ultimately coming down to the player himself, it’ll be interesting to see where he decides to move next.
