Aston Villa have confirmed that defender Sil Swinkels has left the club after completing a permanent transfer to join Sheffield Wednesday.
The 22-year-old joined us in 2020 and went on to impress at youth level, helping us lift the FA Youth Cup and going on to push to make a breakthrough in the senior squad.
However, despite featuring in pre-seasons, the Dutch defender was unable to get his foot in the door with the first team, and subsequently was sent out on loan spells to the likes of Bristol Rovers, Exeter City and Chesterfield.
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That in turn signalled the likelihood that he would move on permanently at some stage once the right club and offer came in, and as per the club’s statement, Swinkels has now joined Sheffield Wednesday to start the next chapter in his career.
It hopefully proves to be a sensible deal for all concerned, as there is no doubt that Swinkels has the potential to go on and enjoy a good career, as he has the defensive qualities and composure in possession to make a positive impression if given regular playing time.
However, the timing of his exit from Villa feels right, and although there is still hope that some of our youth players can make an impression at senior level for us, it continues to be crucial for the club to cash in on Academy players in order to help balance our books and help fund our own signings with the more immediate future in mind.
Others are likely to follow this summer, be it permanently or on loan, but Swinkels will hopefully use the experiences that he has gained during his time at Villa to go on and play a key role for Sheffield Wednesday in the years to come.