Swansea City should look to Bolton Wanderers for ideal Matt Grimes replacement | OneFootball

The perfect Matt Grimes replacement could be someone that Swansea City know well

Swansea City have been dealt a seismic blow with just days of the transfer window remaining with the news that captain Matt Grimes is leaving for Championship rivals Coventry City.

It's a move that came out of the blue earlier this week and has moved quickly, with Grimes saying his goodbyes to the staff and players at Swansea on Tuesday ahead of his move to the Sky Blues, leaving the side he captained for nearly six years in a difficult position with time running out.

It's been a difficult month so far for Swansea in terms of bringing players in, with just Hannes Delcroix joining on loan from Burnley, but there is optimism that further reinforcements will be added to Luke Williams' squad prior to the deadline on Monday night.

Understandably, Swansea weren't planning on losing Grimes this month and while replacing him with a player of similar quality will be almost impossible for a club with their budget, there may just be a familiar face who fits the bill.

Swansea City should look to Josh Sheehan as Matt Grimes' replacement

Swansea are set to add another midfielder to their ranks in the form of Aalborg man Melker Widell, although he will return to the Danish club for the rest of the season before linking up with the Swans in the summer.

However, Widell is reportedly a player who had been on the club's radar for a while before Grimes' exit, and he's not a replacement for the Coventry-bound midfielder.

This means that there could be scope to bring in a replacement for their ex-club captain, and while it remains to be seen if they'll find one in this transfer window, Josh Sheehan is someone who could fit the bill.

Sheehan came though the ranks at Swansea before joining Newport County in 2018, and he's seen his career move from strength-to-strength since, becoming a key player for a big League One club in the form of Bolton Wanderers.

He's also become a key player for Wales under Craig Bellamy, and he looks like a classy operator on the international stage, playing in a similar role to Grimes, and he certainly looks like someone who could make the step-up to the Championship.

There would be a potential sticking point in any move for the 29-year-old, and that's because he signed a new deal with Bolton in November, contracting him until 2027, but that shouldn't stop Swansea from making a move.

After all, Grimes was contracted until 2027 and that hasn't stopped him from joining Coventry, and just like the ex-Swansea captain, Sheehan could see this as the last chance to get a big move.

Swansea have a little bit of money to spend following Grimes' departure and the sell-on fee they'll receive following Morgan Whittaker's move to Middlesbrough, so you'd have thought a move for Sheehan would be in their price range.

Finding a like-for-like replacement for Grimes looks to be an almost impossible task, but Sheehan could provide Swansea with a realistic alternative.

Josh Sheehan would surely jump at the chance to return to Swansea City

Coming from Llanelli, just down the road from Swansea, Sheehan came all the way through the Swans' academy ranks, making just one first-team appearance between a number of EFL loan spells.

It must be said that Sheehan was a victim of circumstances during his time at Swansea, and the club's Premier League status, coupled with his age, meant that it was difficult for him to break into the first-team.

However, Sheehan plays like a Swansea player, and after an impressive performance for Wales in the Nations League, he credited the club for the way he plays now.

He told Wales Online: "The way I grew up through Swansea. Obviously, since Roberto Martinez was there, they've played in a similar way to how Wales are playing now.

"Every team I've gone to I've tried to stamp my authority on games. The more of a footballing team we are, I can get involved and control and dictate games.

"A big part was growing up in the Swans Academy, helping me going forward in my career. That's the type of player I am."

Sheehan will want to play at the highest level possible, and with Bolton somewhat struggling this season compared to previous years, he may jump at the chance to move to the Championship, particularly with his home club.

The 29-year-old should feel that he's got unfinished business at Swansea after failing to make a first-team breakthrough, and he would surely relish the chance to come home and test himself at Championship level.