Exclusive: Sheffield Wednesday & Swansea City submit offers for defender after Bolton Wanderers exit | OneFootball

The Swans and the Owls are looking to bolster their squad depth, and have turned to Bolton's former captain

Swansea City and Sheffield Wednesday have both submitted contract offers to ex-Bolton Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos in a bid to bolster their squads ahead of the 2025-26 Championship season, sources have exclusively informed Football League World.

With the transfer window officially opening - albeit for a brief period - on June 1, EFL clubs are getting their business in order, with the majority of retained lists now submitted and incomings are being announced.

There are going to be plenty of free agents on the markets whose contracts have expired from their previous club, and a certain former Trotters player is seemingly in-demand.

Ricardo Santos receives contract offers from Sheffield Wednesday & Swansea City

FLW has been told that Ricardo Santos, who was a part of Bolton's list of released players earlier in the month after they failed to make it into the League One play-offs, could be making the step up to the Championship, as both Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea have made offers to sign the 29-year-old.

It comes despite there being complete uncertainty over the manager's position at the Owls, with Danny Rohl seemingly touting himself for other jobs even though he is under contract at Hillsborough - Werder Bremen in his home country of Germany being the latest team to express an interest in appointing him.

However, it looks like the recruitment team of the Owls are pressing ahead regardless to strengthen the squad, and have made their offer to Santos in a bid to add depth to the middle of next season's defence.

Similarly, Swansea are also looking for new options, with Harry Darling's deal set to expire in South Wales, as head coach Alan Sheehan looks for further defensive cover.

Ricardo Santos likely to be seen as Championship backup option after recent Bolton Wanderers season

Santos had a somewhat successful five years with Bolton, winning promotion from League Two in his first season with the club and then captaining them between 2021 and 2024, although previous manager Ian Evatt stripped the Portuguese centre-half of the role early in the 2024-25 season.

The second half of the most recent campaign was a struggle for Santos, who was suffering from a chronic pelvic injury and was absent from action for three months, with his start in a 4-1 loss away at Barnsley in April being the only time he played under Evatt's successor Steven Schumacher.

Schumacher included Santos in his released list in early May in a bid to wipe the slate clean at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, but it appears that the ex-Barnet man won't be short of offers ahead of the new season.