Academy products are 'part of the project' - Matos

Head coach Vitor Matos says handing homegrown youngsters a chance in the senior side is "part of the project" at Swansea City.

Matos is aware of the success Swansea have had with academy products since the club's relegation from the Premier League eight years ago, with the likes of Joe Rodon, Connor Roberts, Daniel James and Oli McBurnie flourishing after coming through the club's ranks.

There are others who remain among Swansea's squad, such as Liam Cullen, Ollie Cooper and club captain Ben Cabango.

Matos says he and Swansea's ownership share a desire to ensure more players graduate from the youth ranks to his Championship team.

"I think it's quite clear that there's a pathway that the club wants to create, there's a culture that the club wants to create and the academy is a big part of that," the Portuguese said.

"I think it's only possible to have a proper healthy club when the academy is one of the major, let's say sources, for the first-team squad. That's something we want.

"There's a lot of examples that I don't need to mention here that came from the academy. That's the part of the project, that's of the culture of this club."

Sam Parker is another academy graduate in Matos' squad, while the likes of Cameron Congreve, Ben Lloyd and Filip Lissah – who are currently out on loan - have made senior debuts in recent seasons.

Having downgraded their academy from elite-level category one status – which they had held for four years - to category two in 2020 in order to cut costs, Swansea are hoping some of those players can emulate the likes of Cabango and Cullen by becoming first-team regulars.

Matos says he "will look inside" the club, at the under-21 side and even the under-18s, before transfer decisions are made at senior level.

There have been some encouraging signs in this season's FA Youth Cup, with Swansea's under-18s winning away at Leeds United – a category one club – last week to book their place in round five.

The Swans' youngsters will now take on Blackburn Rovers – who won 8-1 at Coventry City in round four – with the date of the tie to be confirmed.

"[I am] really happy for the academy, really happy for the kids," Matos said.