By David Williams
Swansea City are working to finalise loan deals for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien and Manchester City prospect Jacob Wright ahead of Monday night’s transfer deadline.
O’Brien has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Swans, who appear to have overcome interest from Preston North End, Luton Town, and Derby County.
O’Brien – who has been playing in the MLS after failing to stay around the Forest match-day squad – is on course to become the club’s second signing of the window after Burnley loanee Hannes Delcroix.
Swansea are also looking to wrap up a loan deal for 19-year-old defensive midfielder Wright from Manchester City.
The move is likely to include an obligation to buy at the end of the season.
Wright has made three senior appearances for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, all of which have come from the bench, having been part of City’s academy since he was aged eight.
⚪️ Understand Swansea have agreed deal to sign 19 year old talented midfielder Jacob Wright from Man City.
Middlesbrough were also keen but Swansea are completing £4m package deal. One more impressive sale for Man City Academy. pic.twitter.com/O7swqh5Awm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 31, 2025
Swansea are still on the lookout for an attacking midfielder and a winger before the transfer window shuts, having sold captain and main playmaker Matt Grimes to Coventry City last week.
Meanwhile, the Swans’ struggles on the pitch continued as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at home against Coventry, extending their winless run to seven games in all competitions.
The result leaves them languishing in 17th place, just seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Frustrated Swansea fans voiced their discontent, booing the team off both at halftime and full-time, with much of their anger directed at the club’s hierarchy for sanctioning the sale of Grimes.
Manager Luke Williams acknowledged the difficulty of replacing his former captain and admitted his side struggled to control the game.
“We tried to give us some more bodies in the middle of the pitch because Matty is tough to replace,” said Williams.
“We tried to change things a little bit to see if we can adapt. I think the front two for Coventry really caused us a lot of problems – they were the big difference between the two teams.
“The best side won, but we weren’t able to cope with them. It’s very difficult to be the same type of team without Matt Grimes, for the moment.
“We need to try to find a way to control the game again. We made some good openings, but we didn’t make enough of them.
“We’re not the team at the moment that can make one or two chances and score one or two goals. We have to find a way.”
Luke Williams says Swansea City ‘have to find a way’ to halt woeful form as boos ring out after Coventry City loss https://t.co/aRxPm4YV9A pic.twitter.com/BO3NFjb2qk
— Swansea City Online (@SwanseaCityLive) February 1, 2025
For Coventry, it was another confident display under Frank Lampard, as his team recorded their fourth consecutive win to climb to 11th in the Championship table.
First-half strikes from Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante secured a comfortable victory for the Sky Blues, marking their first triumph in South Wales since a 1-0 win over Cardiff in 2022.
Lampard praised his team’s all-round performance but insisted they must stay grounded.
“It was a very complete performance, other than another few goals to make it even more comfortable because a game is never done at 2-0,” said Lampard.
“Everything about the performance on and off the ball, and in creating chances was good, and defensively we were spot on all over the pitch.
“All the things you want to win away from home we did. We are on a good run, but I’m not getting too carried away because I know things can flip very quickly in football and we have to play the best team in the league on Wednesday (Leeds).
“They were two really good goals and one was fantastic. They have to be a threat when they play together up front and what they are doing makes them a threat.
“Eight or 10 games ago we weren’t winning headers up front or holding up the ball, but now we are and you can see the difference. It has to continue and it can get even better.”
As Swansea look to arrest their alarming slide, the arrival of fresh faces like O’Brien and Wright could provide a much-needed boost.
However, the challenge remains for Williams to integrate them quickly and find a way to halt the club’s downward spiral.
