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Sheffield Wednesday have ‘beaten off’ interest from clubs across Europe in the race for Aston Villa star Sil Swinkels as they close in on a permanent deal, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Dutchman spent the first half of the recent season on loan at League One outfit Exeter City, although opportunities proved limited due to injury setbacks.
Then Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell even revealed last November that the club had been working closely with Swinkels to help him regain full fitness.
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The centre-back eventually returned to Villa Park before securing another temporary move in the winter window, this time joining League Two side Chesterfield.
That spell proved far more fruitful, with Swinkels featuring in every league match available to him and starting each one, underlining the faith placed in him by Chesterfield across 24 appearances.
Those performances thrust the defender back onto the radar of clubs higher up the pyramid, with Sheffield Wednesday placing him firmly on their shortlist.
Now the Owls have ‘agreed a deal’ with Aston Villa to secure Swinkels on a permanent transfer.
| Team | Year | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City (C) | 2024–25 | 111 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (C) | 2013–14 | 103 |
| Charlton Athletic (C) | 2011–12 | 101 |
| Plymouth Argyle (C) | 2022–23 | 101 |
| Sheffield United (C) | 2016–17 | 100 |
In their pursuit of the centre-back, Sheffield Wednesday have ‘beaten off’ competition from clubs in League One as well as from Belgium and the Netherlands.
That level of competition only further highlights the reputation Swinkels has built, making the agreement a potentially significant coup for the Yorkshire outfit as they target an immediate return to the Championship.
The 22-year-old was unlikely to force his way into the Villans’ long-term plans, making a move to Hillsborough a potentially important step in his development.
The Dutchman has spent three separate spells away from Villa Park and now appears set to finally find a permanent home after several years of development through the loan system.
One of those temporary stints came with Bristol Rovers, a spell the defender previously spoke highly of.
It remains to be seen if Aston Villa have inserted any sell-on clause in the agreement with Sheffield Wednesday for Swinkels, which would give them a continued stake in his development.
Meanwhile, question marks remain over the goalkeeping position at Villa Park, with Juventus continuing their efforts to land goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
