Why Swansea City will hope Cardiff City, Yousef Salech trick can be repeated | OneFootball

Swansea City's new deadline day arrival could follow the same career path as Cardiff's talisman Yousef Salech

One of the more under-the-radar signings on deadline day in the Championship saw Swansea City bring Finnish midfielder Leo Walta to South Wales from Swedish side Sirius.

The deal is initially a loan move, but the South Wales outfit is expected to sign the 22-year-old for an undisclosed fee on July 1. This is "subject to conditions," but there's a belief that Walta will be a permanent Swansea player come the start of next season.

The 10-time Finland international is coming off the back of a 2025 campaign in the Swedish top flight, where he netted 16 and provided three assists, helping his side finish in midtable.

He wound up placing fourth in the division's top scorers chart, netting just two fewer than Birmingham City's new £6 million star, August Priske, and given the hype surrounding the Dane, who is just nine months younger than Walta, there are perhaps some expectations that he too can take the Championship by storm.

And while no one associated with Swansea would like to associate themselves with their bitter south Wales rivals, Cardiff City, they'll be hoping that Walta can follow in the footsteps of his former teammate, and current Bluebirds talisman, Yousef Salech.

Leo Walta arrives in South Wales one year on from Yousef Salech

In the January transfer window last season, Cardiff looked to bolster their survival chances by bringing in a relatively unknown frontman from Swedish side Sirius — then-23-year-old Salech.

In the 2024 Allsvenskan season, Salech netted 11 goals, but just behind him in the scoring charts was Walta, who scored seven in what was his debut campaign with his new side.

The new Swansea arrival took on the scoring mantle from the talisman following his move to South Wales, and netted even more than Salech did. What's more impressive is that he did so from attacking midfield, rather than up front.

While Walta was taking the Swedish top flight by storm, Salech was settling into life at Cardiff well. Despite the Bluebirds finishing bottom of the Championship last season, it wasn't due to a dud start to the 24-year-old's career in the EFL, netting eight times in 20 games.

Many expected him to move on ahead of the current League One campaign, but the Danish-born frontman stayed and has been one of the best strikers in the third tier, leading the line for the most dominant side in the division, and netting 12 times in 27 appearances at the time of writing.

22 goals in 56 games marks a very good opening year to Salech's career in Cardiff, and all eyes will be on Walta to see if he can replicate as good a debut year as his former teammate.

Swansea City have a right to be excited about Leo Walta based on Yousef Salech's evidence

Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League - Group F - Finland v England - Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland - October 13, 2024 Finland's Arttu Hoskonen celebrates scoring their first goal with Leo Walta Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

A late arrival from the Scandinavian league may not be the most attractive on paper, but Swansea have the right to feel a little intrigued to see how Walta adapts to life in the Championship.

The 22-year-old performed better than Salech in the same team at a younger age and in a further back position, and if the Cardiff striker settled in to life in the English second tier well, there's no stopping Walta from doing the same.

Granted, Salech's truly exploded into life in League One, and there shouldn't be any worries about Swansea following Cardiff's trajectory from last season, as under Vitor Matos, the Swans have quietly removed any relegation worries and have taken the 9th-most points in the Championship since hiring him in late November.

However, the Bluebirds' talisman was still a serviceable scoring option up top during his time in the second tier, and if Walta can be at least 'serviceable' when it comes to scoring goals from the midfield, Swansea will be more than happy.

And if his first full season in 2026/27 can mirror what Salech is doing now, then the Swans may have themselves one of the more exciting attacking talents in the Championship.