Swansea City

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Vitor Matos says hunger will be key for Swansea City as they return to action at Sheffield United on Friday (15:00 BST).

Swansea, in 14th, take on the 17th-placed Blades with both teams looking certain to finish the Championship season somewhere in mid-table.

Though Swansea may be seen by some as having little to play for, Matos is demanding more from his players having succumbed to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since his opening week in charge in November.

"It's important not only how we address this next game, but how we understand the last part of the season, that we understand it's something we need to squeeze [everything from]," said the Swansea head coach.

"That's the most important thing, to do it with the right mentality and the right mindset, game by game.

"We need to look at Sheffield with that hunger, to have the right mindset against a really good team in terms of players, good manager, a lot of experience in the league and with players that played in the Premier League."

Swansea were beaten at home by league leaders Coventry City last time out, their first home league loss since Matos' opening game in charge.

Their away form has been much less convincing, with only two Championship clubs losing more away league games than Swansea this season.

The Swans have a miserable record at Bramall Lane in recent years, though Chris Wilder's United side are without a victory in four matches and have won only one of their past five at home.

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Vitor Matos has urged the Swansea City players who have missed out on the World Cup to use their disappointment as the start of a journey to Euro 2028.

Wales duo Ben Cabango and Liam Cullen will return to Swansea duty at Sheffield United on Friday having seen their hopes of reaching this year's World Cup ended by play-off semi-final defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Ethan Galbraith was another player left frustrated after Northern Ireland's play-off loss to Italy, while Adam Idah was part of the Republic of Ireland squad beaten on penalties by the Czech Republic in their semi-final.

Matos says he has spoken to all four players following their international setbacks – and told them to look to the future.

"I was in contact with all of them, all different human beings, different ways of dealing with the disappointment," the Swansea head coach said.

"Now it is back to club life and it is different, maybe a fresh place as well for all of them, so that's quite important.

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"It's always about speaking about what will be the next thing. So who can tell if, for example in the case of Wales, being out of the World Cup cannot be a start of a really nice story for the Euros?"

Matos says being within sight of a World Cup place was "massive" for his players – but believes the focus now must be on the next European Championship, which is being held in the British Isles.

"You need to go for the next competition and the next competition is just there outside of the door," he added.

"The most important thing is why can they not try everything to reach the Euros? I think that's how the players need to look, that's how fans need to look and I think that's the step everyone needs to take.

"So that was the conversation with the players involved on the play-offs. All of them of course disappointed but I think step by step they will be back again."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Swansea City right-back Josh Key will miss at least three more matches with a hip problem.

Key sat out the defeat by Coventry City before the international break after picking up the injury during Swansea's loss at Wrexham on 13 March.

The 26-year-old has now been ruled out of Friday's trip to Sheffield United, the home game against Middlesbrough next Monday and the fixture at Leicester City on Saturday, 11 April.

Swansea hope he will then return for the final four games of the campaign, though there are no guarantees.

"Josh had a knock against Wrexham," said head coach Vitor Matos.

"Let's see how much time he will need. It's a tricky, strange injury because it was a knock and with the knock the muscle tore a little bit, so let's see how he can cope with the return."

The injury is particularly disappointing for Key given that he had recently regained his starting place – and recaptured some of his best form – after a difficult season.

In his absence, Swansea may again deploy Ethan Galbraith at right-back, though he is also battling to be fit for the Sheffield United game after complaining of a calf issue following Northern Ireland's friendly draw with Wales on Tuesday.

Joel Ward is another option to start on the right flank of defence, while Matos says youngster Sam Parker is another who could come into contention having impressed in training.

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Championship clubs spent just over £69.5m on agents fees over the past 12 months according to figures released by the Football Association,, external an increase of £6m on the previous year.

The figures cover the period from February 2025 with Ipswich Town the top spenders, paying £11.7m having spent the first three months of the accounting period in the Premier League.

Southampton (£8.3m) and Leicester (£5.8m), who were relegated alongside Ipswich are the second and third-highest payers on the list.

Troubled Sheffield Wednesday were the most frugal when dealing with agents, spending £534,559.

Wrexham come in sixth on the list with an outlay of £3.6m while current Championship leaders Coventry spent just short of £1.5m.

Championship agents' fee spending, external

• Ipswich - £11,738,920

• Southampton - £8,381,358

• Leicester City - £5,866,587

• Sheffield United - £5,005,498

• Norwich - £4,020,206

• Wrexham - £3,660,584

• Swansea - £3,088,645

• Middlesbrough - £2,900,314

• Bristol City - £2,774,990

• Hull City - £2,450,431

• Stoke City - £2,088,886

• Birmingham City - £1,996,502

• Millwall - £1,982,348

• Preston North End - £1,831,233

• QPR - £1,829,036

• Watford - £1,612,833

• Coventry - £1,497,990

• Derby - £1,409,507

• West Brom - £1,346,030

• Oxford - £1,235,536

• Charlton - £904,698

• Portsmouth - £831,818

• Blackburn - £676,980

• Sheffield Wednesday - £534,559

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Zan Vipotnik's fine season continued as he scored twice for Slovenia in their friendly win over Montenegro on Tuesday.

With Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko out of the Slovenia squad through injury, Swansea City's Vipotnik led the line in Pogdorica and struck either side of half-time in a 3-2 victory.

Vipotnik, who now has 22 goals for club and country this season, played for 75 minutes having played just over an hour in last weekend's friendly loss to Hungary.

Fellow Swansea forward Adam Idah made an 18-minute substitute appearance in the Republic of Ireland's goalless draw with North Macedonia, while winger Eom Jisung came off the bench late on in South Korea's friendly loss in Austria.

Leo Walta played the full 90 minutes as Finland drew with Cape Verde in New Zealand on Monday.

Marko Stamenic was also in action on the other side of the world, as he captained New Zealand in a 4-1 win over Chile at Eden Park.

Lawrence Vigouroux was in goal for the visitors – and claimed an assist for their late goal.

Cameron Burgess is another Swansea player who has done plenty of travelling, with the centre-back featuring as a second-half substitute in Australia's 5-1 win over Curacao in Melbourne.

Malick Yalcouye has been away with the Ivory Coast Under-23s while closer to home Ben Cabango started in Wales' draw with Northern Ireland but was withdrawn at half-time.

Liam Cullen was an unused substitute while Ethan Galbraith impressed for the visitors as he played 80 minutes at the Cardiff City Stadium.

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Ethan Galbraith hopes to play in midfield as often as possible for Swansea City after his latest impressive spell on international duty with Northern Ireland.

Galbraith emerged with credit despite Northern Ireland's World Cup play-off semi-final defeat to Italy last Thursday.

Boss Michael O'Neill then described the 24-year-old as "the best player on the pitch" in his side's friendly draw with Wales on Tuesday.

Galbraith has been one of Swansea's star performers since joining from Leyton Orient last summer, playing 44 times – and scoring four goals – for the Championship club.

The former Manchester United youngster has shone despite often being used at right-back by Swansea.

Though he has remained influential regardless of his role, Galbraith's wish is to play more regularly in the centre of the pitch.

"I won't lie, right-back wouldn't be my favourite position," Galbraith said after the Wales friendly.

"I'll always do it for the team, but primarily I'm a midfielder. That's where I want to play.

"We've had a few injuries and I've been asked to fill in, but I want to be playing in the middle as much as I can."

Galbraith is set for a swift return to club duty as Swansea travel to Sheffield United on Friday (15:00 BST).

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He says the target for the final stages of his first season at second-tier level is to play regularly and "do my best for Swansea".

O'Neill, who gave Galbraith his international debut when he was 17, says the move to Wales has helped his development.

"He made a really good choice in the club he went to," O'Neill said.

"I spoke to him in the summer and he had other options. I think relocating to Swansea was maybe not at the top of his list because he has been in London and Manchester for the majority of his career.

"I've known Ethan since he was 15, 16 years of age, when he was in our age-grade and development squads.

"It took him longer to come through maybe than what we'd hoped and part of that is obviously his development with his club.

"But I think over this season, the player we always knew [was there has come through]."

O'Neill says there is more to come from Galbraith, who has the ability to develop into a "top-class player".

"I think where he has improved is physically in the Championship," he added.

"He's able to compete, he covers the ground, his physical data is high, but it's his ability to retain the ball - his technical level is extremely high.

"For me, his best position is definitely in midfield in our team."

Sheffield United and Swansea City will both be vying to end a poor streak of form when they meet at Bramall Lane on Good Friday (15:00 BST).

The Blades have not won any of their past four league matches (D2 L2), while Swansea have lost their past two successively.

• Sheffield United lost the reverse fixture against Swansea 1-0 in August, having won five in a row against the Swans before this.

• Swansea have lost eight of their last nine away league games against Sheffield United, winning the other in August 2018. These eight defeats have been by an aggregate score of 20-1.

• Sheffield United are winless in their last four league games (D2 L2), only having a longer run this season in their first six games (L6).

• Swansea have lost 2-0 against Wrexham and 3-0 against Coventry in their last two league games, last losing three in a row without scoring in March/April 2021 (4 in a row).

• Sheffield United have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Championship this season (27). Indeed, in their last three home games they've lost to Coventry, drawn with West Brom and lost to Wrexham despite leading.

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Adam Idah played his first football since December as he came off the bench in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off semi-final defeat by the Czech Republic.

Idah had been sidelined by a hamstring injury suffered in Swansea City training over Christmas.

But having returned to Swansea's bench for last weekend's Championship defeat to Coventry City, the striker made his playing return as he played the final 24 minutes of extra time in Prague.

There was disappointment for the Republic of Ireland as they were beaten on penalties despite leading 2-0 in the first half.

Idah scored in the shootout at the end of game but Finn Azaz and Alan Browne missed as the Czechs progressed.

Elsewhere, Swansea duo Leo Walta and Marko Stamenic played against each other as Finland beat New Zealand in a friendly on Friday, while Cameron Burgess featured as a substitute in Australia's friendly win over Cameroon.

Lawrence Vigouroux started in Chile's 4-2 friendly triumph over Cape Verde.

Idah's World Cup disappointment was shared by Wales pair Liam Cullen and Ben Cabango, as well as Swansea's Northern Ireland midfielder Ethan Galbraith.

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Ethan Galbraith's first memories of the World Cup are of watching the 2010 finals in South Africa and the Northern Ireland midfielder says it's a bit of a "pinch me moment" to be just two wins away from playing at this year's tournament.

Michael O'Neill's side face Italy in a play-off semi-final in Bergamo on Thursday (19:45 GMT) and should they prevail, they will then move on to play either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place in this summer's finals in North America.

Galbraith, who was on the bench in 2021 when Northern Ireland held Italy to a goalless draw at home which sent the Azzurri into an ultimately unsuccessful play-off semi-final, is aware of the task ahead but is delighted to be in this position.

"I've thought about it a few times and they are going to be tough games, but to even be a part of those games is huge," the 24-year-old Swansea City man told BBC Sport NI.

"We can go out there, give it our all and hopefully it will be enough on the night.

"It's a bit of a pinch me moment. To be involved in this squad is unreal, but to be two games away from a World Cup is crazy."

While Northern Ireland will be missing some key figures including Conor Bradley and Dan Ballard, Italy also have concerns with midfielder Sandro Tonali missing Newcastle United's weekend defeat by Sunderland with a groin injury.

However, Galbraith insists Northern Ireland are preparing for the best version of Italy who he acknowledges will be "under a lot of pressure" to reach their first World Cup since 2014.

Although Northern Ireland finished third in their qualifying group, performances in the defeats by Germany brought positives and Galbraith feels they can act as good preparation for their Italian test.

"You have to prepare for their [Italy] best team and we did that with Germany," he offered.

"Germany are a top side and so is Italy with a number of superstars, so having those games against Germany in the group has put us in good stead for this game.

"If we can go out and give it 100%, we can be a match for anyone."

Watch Italy v Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off on Thursday, 26 March from 19:00 GMT on BBC iPlayer, BBC One NI and BBC Three; listen on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, and follow live text commentary with in-play clips on BBC Sport app and website.

On Wednesday, 25 March watch a special preview show with Italy and Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport app and website from 19:00 GMT.

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Former midfielder Owain Tudur Jones says Swansea City must learn from their January recruitment and invest in the "right positions" this summer.

Swansea are looking likely to finish in mid-table in the Championship - currently sitting 14th, 11 points off the play-off places.

Speaking after the 3-0 defeat at home by leaders Coventry City, Jones said money needs to be spent on the squad, but in the correct areas.

"Like every club, without investment it's impossible [to get promotion]. But then it's about investment in the right positions," said Jones.

"Signing someone like Leo Walta in the January transfer window was quite a big signing, quite a big outlay for where the Swans are right now, and in hindsight you're probably thinking 'it's the wrong position' because he's already similar to what is here.

"This summer it becomes a game of good recruitment in the right areas, the forward positions.

"Eom and Ronald - as wingers - started really well, their numbers were much better than they had been in previous years, but it's reverted to type, if you like.

"They're good Championship footballers - probably not footballers for a promotion-winning team."

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BBC Sport asked Swansea City supporters what more they want to see from their team following their 3-0 home defeat to Championship leaders Coventry City.

Here are some of the responses:

Christian: Swansea need to be more clinical when they have a chance to score. There were chances in the game against Coventry which they simply should have taken. The effort is there but some players are lacking a bit going forward. I am thinking Ronald here, as he can't seem to get a good ball into the box or get past an opposition player.

Gareth: [Vitor] Matos has come in and moved us away from danger, so that has been a huge positive. [Lawrence] Vigouroux, [Ethan] Galbraith & [Zan] Vipotnik have been positives throughout the season as well. However, the same problems remain where we are decent in the middle part of the pitch but still weak in both 18 yard boxes.

Alan: Lacking good link-up up front. How [Ben] Cabango and [Liam] Cullen are in the Welsh squad beats me - not good enough, we can't defend and can't finish chances.

Dan: 3-0 at half-time would read, to those on the outside, that Coventry were the typical top of the league side dominating the team in mid-table. However, as regular attendees at the Swansea.com will know, if we had capable wingers, and could take our chances, the game could have panned out very differently. Same old story

Nigel: There is a dire need to get wide players whom provide consistent quality, skill and pace. Defensively we need a commander-in-chief coach, to eradicate the many errors we consistently make.

Gethin: Unfortunate result, we had two chances off the woodwork but sadly our central defenders are not up to scratch to push up the league. If we want to return to the Premier League we need to improve our defence as at this moment there are far too many mistakes in them.

Clare: As it is unlikely Swansea City will make the playoffs now, I would like to see some of the youngsters given some game time, along with the players not regularly playing. Looking forward to seeing our loan players returning in the summer and hopefully will be given a chance next season.

Richard: The answer is easy, the Swans have to score more goals.

Image source, BBC Sport

Saturday's 3-0 defeat by table toppers Coventry brought an end to Swansea City's impressive home form in the Championship.

Prior to the visit of Frank Lampard's Sky Blues, the Swans managed a run of 10 games at the Swansea.Com Stadium without defeat.

But they have now slipped to 14th in the table, 11 points adrift of the play-off places.

A mid-table finish now looks certain, but with just seven games to go, what do you want to see from Vitor Matos' side? What improvements do you think they can make to ensure their season does not fizzle out.

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