Swansea City Signs Ex-Bolton Captain Ricardo Santos

Swansea City has signed former Bolton Wanderers captain Ricardo Santos to a two-year contract, bolstering their defensive squad after several departures and with uncertainty around Harry Darling's future. The 29-year-old center-back, who made over 200 appearances for Bolton and was captain for three years, is highly regarded for his experience and leadership, having been named in the PFA team of the year multiple times. Swansea's head coach Alan Sheehan and director of football Richard Montague emphasized that Santos is not a direct replacement for Darling but adds much-needed depth and competition to the team's defense. Santos, born in Portugal and having played for Peterborough United and Barnet before Bolton, recently accepted a call-up to the Cape Verde national team. Despite interest from several clubs including Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, and teams in Portugal, Santos chose Swansea, where he will join as the club looks to improve on last season’s 11th-place Championship finish. The signing follows the departures of several defenders and the recent investment in the club by Luka Modric, indicating Swansea's ambition to strengthen their squad.