Swansea City are set to lose their club captain and club legend Matt Grimes as a move to Championship side Coventry City is reportedly imminent after almost a decade in South Wales.
Grimes joined the Swans from Exeter City in 2015, coming to the club as a highly rated prospect for the future. He was loaned to clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United, and Northampton Town before breaking into the first team.
After Swansea’s relegation to the Championship, he not only saw a lot more game time but became the club captain to help attempt to lead the Swans back to the Premier League.
With two playoff appearances and 326 appearances now made for the club, it appears his time with the Swans is finally over, as he seeks a new venture in the latter stages of his career.
Grimes to the Sky Blues?
According to Darren Witcoop, Swansea City captain Matt Grimes is set to make a move to Championship rivals Coventry City, with Grimes reportedly having his ‘heart set’ on the move.
Grimes has been a mainstay in the Swansea City side since their relegation from the Premier League, and this move will leave a massive gap in their side that they will not have a lot of time to be able to fill.
He is the engine behind the Swansea side and a large reason behind their success. Since relegation, he has missed less than ten games for the club. This level of consistent availability is very difficult to replicate, especially with how good Grimes has consistently been throughout his Swansea career.
Can the Swans cope without Grimes?
With how little we have seen Swansea play without their captain since relegation, it will certainly be a shock to the system when they have to field a side without him.
Swansea have had a torrid start to 2025, losing five of their six games and conceding 18 goals in the process, including three to their bitter rivals Cardiff City. With them now losing their most important player, it could see this spiral of bad form for Luke Williams’ side continue.
They will have to look to replace Grimes before the window ends, as their current options of Jay Fulton and Joe Allen have proven to be fairly inconsistent throughout this season. However, finding a player of Grimes’ quality for a good fee with just days left of the January transfer window could be a difficult task.
A good signing for Coventry?
Matt Grimes has the potential to be a season-defining signing for Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues.
Although they have some solid midfield options such as Ben Sheaf and Josh Eccles, Grimes is one of the most established midfielders in the league and provides a level of quality that could assist their surge up the table even more.
With his ability to play any role in the centre of midfield and his constant availability, Grimes is the perfect player for Coventry to sign as they aim to be promoted to the Premier League.