Swansea City will be having Coventry, Southampton flashbacks as Harry Darling situation lingers | OneFootball

Harry Darling looks set to leave Swansea City on a free, a situation the club have found themselves in before

Harry Darling may have helped raise Swansea City spirits with a goal in their recent 2-2 draw with Leeds United, but it also served as a timely reminder that he is set to leave the club this summer unless something drastic happens.

Darling is arguably enjoying his best season in a Swansea shirt since joining from MK Dons in the summer of 2022, and on his day he's one of the better defenders in the Championship, so Alan Sheehan and the Swans' hierarchy will be desperate to retain his services.

However, previous boss Luke Williams revealed in January that talks over a new deal for Darling were going to be shelved until the end of the campaign, and with clubs like Birmingham City, Bristol City and Sheffield United all credited with an interest in the defender, it's fair to say he faces an uncertain future at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Losing a player of Darling's calibre on a free transfer would be disastrous for Swansea, and the Jack Army will be having flashbacks to the summer of 2023 where they lost two key players to Championship rivals in similar circumstances.

Swansea City supporters will be having Ryan Manning, Joel Latibeaudiere flashbacks with Harry Darling

Darling clearly isn't short of options if he chooses to leave Swansea and could likely earn more money elsewhere, hence his reluctance to pen fresh terms in South Wales, but the club shouldn't have let it get to this stage.

In an ideal world, Swansea should have tied Darling down to a fresh deal last season instead of letting him enter the final 12 months of his deal where clubs can make cut-price offers from a position of strength knowing he's likely to leave for free in the summer.

However, that has not happened and while all the blame can't be put onto the club for the situation they find themselves in now, it feels like lessons haven't been learned from two years ago.

Swansea were in a similar situation this time two seasons ago with Ryan Manning and Joel Latibeaudiere, two players who were regular starters in Russell Martin's side and players the club wanted to keep, but they both ended up leaving on free transfers, joining Coventry City and Southampton respectively in what was a huge blow.

Losing players on free transfers to rivals in the same division is hugely frustrating and Swansea would have been desperate not to find themselves in a similar situation ever again, but here they are again just two years on.

The Jack Army could be forgiven for wondering how this has been allowed to happen again, and it's clear that the hierarchy at the Swansea.com Stadium need to be more forward-thinking when it comes to player contracts.

Losing Harry Darling will be a huge blow to Swansea City

As a 25-year-old Englishman who is a proven performer at Championship level, it's clear that players of Darling's ilk are in demand, and it's no surprise to see a number of clubs, including high-flying Sheffield United, keep tabs on him.

The centre-back was arguably one of the division's standout defenders in the early months of the season, and while injury and Swansea's form meant he wasn't quite able to keep that up, there have been glimpses that he's returning to his best in recent weeks.

His goal against Leeds, which helped seal a point at Elland Road, will inevitably come in handy in the Swans' battle against relegation, and he can be expected to play an important role in the final weeks of the season.

Swansea, a club who doesn't boast the finances of many of their Championship rivals, can't afford to lose a player like Darling on a free, while breaking the bank to keep him at the club would also be a mistake, showing the importance of sorting these things out early.

Perhaps they could have sold him for a decent fee last summer and replaced him adequately, but when there is constant upheaval both in the boardroom and the dugout, it makes it difficult for the club to plan ahead.