Harry Darling action at Swansea City emerges as Birmingham City lurk | OneFootball

Swansea are hopeful of being able to tie down the defender to a new deal.

Swansea City have made a contract offer to soon-to-be free agent, and former Birmingham City and Sheffield United transfer target, Harry Darling.

Star players like the 25-year-old defender running down their contracts cause clubs to have to take action, whether that be in the form of a sale or offering them fresh terms.

Chris Wilder's Blades were looking to pounce on Darling's uncertain situation in January, as per The Star. This wasn't the first time that he'd been linked with a move to Bramall Lane either. Back in 2022, while playing for MK Dons, United were said to be keen on him.

Birmingham, too, were keen on the centre-back, according to Wales Online, but Darling ended up staying with Swansea past the winter transfer window deadline.

Swansea make new contract offer to Harry Darling

Darling revealed in September that there were yet to be any discussions with the Swansea hierarchy about his contract. That has now changed, as the club's director of football, Richard Monatgue, has confirmed that a new deal has been put in front of the defender.

He knows that they are likely to face stiff competition for his signature this summer, but Montague is still hopeful that City can lock down their star centre-half for some more years.

"We've made another offer to Harry," the director of football revealed, via Wales Online. "We believe it's a strong offer. Harry's in a privileged position where there's an opportunity now to have a look around and really decide what's best for him and his family.

"But we believe we've put our best foot forward. Alan and I had him in the office for about an hour earlier trying to persuade him as to why Swansea is the right place for him to continue his career. We really believe it is. We're hopeful of a positive outcome, but we recognise there are a lot of clubs that can offer a lot of things, and Harry needs to do what's right for him and his family.

"But we're doing everything we can to make it a positive outcome for us."

Montague also stated that City would like to bring current loanee Lewis O'Brien back to the club this summer, but he was honest and said that it's a decision the club can't directly affect.

Alan Sheehan's permanent deal might just help Swansea keep Harry Darling

The 25-year-old has reportedly enjoyed working with Swansea's permanent head coach, Alan Sheehan, since he took over as interim boss from Luke Williams in the middle of February.

Swansea have only lost three matches in that time. If you were to stretch their form under Sheehan out across a whole season, it would put them on a pace that would usually see them challenge for promotion.

Working with someone you like - someone who is also getting consistently good results - has to be an appealing prospect for Darling.

There will be potentially better opportunities out there in terms of the likelihood of fighting for those top spots in the future, but you never know when you make these moves how you're going to gel with the club, the players, the manager. That unknown, combined with the positives in Swansea, may swing him towards staying.