Image Credits: Imago Images
Swansea City have made their move in the managerial market, with the Championship club officially confirming the appointment of Vitor Matos as their new head coach on Monday.
The Portuguese tactician arrives on a four-year deal.
The appointment brings an end to what has been a turbulent period at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The Swans parted ways with Alan Sheehan earlier this month following a dismal run of results that saw the club pick up just four wins from their opening 15 Championship fixtures. Darren O’Dea took temporary charge for Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Bristol City, with Matos watching from the stands as he assessed his new squad.
Matos spent five years at Anfield as an elite development coach under Jurgen Klopp from 2019 to 2024.
He was part of the backroom staff during Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign in 2019-20
Swansea triggered the €1 million release clause in Matos’s contract with Maritimo, where he had guided the club to third place in Liga Portugal 2 with six wins from 11 matches.
The Championship club had initially targeted Hammarby’s Kim Hellberg, but turned to Matos after Middlesbrough swooped in for the Swedish manager.
However, it has now emerged that Luka Modric, who currently turns out for AC Milan in Serie A, played a role in the former Liverpool coach’s appointment.
Modric holds a minority stake as an investor and co-owner at Swansea City following his appointment in April 2025. While the exact percentage of his ownership stake was not officially disclosed, reports suggest he acquired approximately a five percent stake in the club.
He is thought to play an active role in the club’s operations.
Swansea chief executive Tom Gorring said to the BBC on Modric’s involvement, and stated that 40-ytear-old was a “strong advocate” of the appointment:
“He was included in the process, not directly, so he’s due to speak to Vitor shortly but hasn’t done so yet,” said Gorringe, adding that the two were due to speak in more detail in the coming days.
“Luka’s been aware of a lot of the process as we move through it. He was privy to the technical presentation and got the chance to review that – and he was a strong advocate of where we’ve ended up.”
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