Swansea City recently completed the signing of former Bolton Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos, giving the 29-year-old his first opportunity at Championship level.
Santos has been backed to make the step up from League One after performing consistently well for Wanderers.
Swans Boss Delighted To Get His Man
City boss Alan Sheehan was delighted with his fourth summer signing and does not doubt that the centre back can handle Championship football.
“We are very pleased to welcome Ricardo to Swansea City. He is an experienced player who is well-versed in the demands of playing in the EFL.”
“He is a player I have known about for a long time, and someone we believe is capable of making the step up to Championship level.”
“There were a number of clubs interested in securing his services, and we are delighted he has chosen Swansea City.”
Santos Not A Replacement, Darling
With the future of centre back Harry Darling up in the air, with several clubs reportedly interested, the acquisition of Santos could be seen by some as an indication of Darling’s departure.
Swansea’s director of football Richard Montague does not agree.
“We have identified certain areas of the squad where we recognise there is a need to have greater depth and competition, and we believe the addition of Ricardo will help us do that defensively.”
“He has considerable experience of the EFL, and the fact that he has been in the team of the year for his division in four of the last five seasons speaks to his consistency.”
Santos To Be Leader Within The Group
Montague continued by praising Santos’s leadership skills.
“We believe his character and leadership will be a welcome addition to the squad, and we are looking forward to him linking up with Alan and the team for the start of pre-season.”
This sentiment was shared by Swansea’s head of analytics Adam Worth who also praised those qualities within Santos and believes he fits the recruitment aims perfectly.
“As a club, we have identified the need to have a blend of youth and experience within the senior squad, and Ricardo brings no shortage of knowledge of the EFL.”
“He has been a proven leader at his previous clubs, and we believe he can be an important presence within the squad, and add to the defensive options available to Alan Sheehan and his coaching staff.”
Writer’s View
Santos is hugely experienced in the lower reaches of the Football League and deserves his chance at a higher level after being consistently named in the Team of the Year for the division he has competed in.
With rumours swirling about Darling, it seems Santos will have no choice but to make the step up as he will be thrown into immediate action.
