Harry Darling transfer news: Russell Martin link, Stoke City join race, Swansea City chief speaks out | OneFootball

Football League World looks at the transfer news surrounding Swansea City star Harry Darling ahead of his contract expiration in South Wales

Harry Darling's future at Swansea City is set to be decided imminently as the defender approaches the end of his three-year contract in South Wales amid a host of interest in his services.

Swansea have been trying to convince Darling to put pen to paper on fresh terms since last year, although the ball has always remained very much in the court of the ex-MK Dons star and a resolution is yet to be reached.

Darling has received a number of offers from Swansea to stay put after enjoying yet another impressive campaign in the Championship as the side finished 11th following a late-season upsurge under Alan Sheehan. The 25-year-old, who was signed for Swansea by Russell Martin from MK Dons in the summer of 2022, has been an ever-present in City's backline for the last three seasons and made 39 appearances last time out, scoring on five occasions.

Darling has established himself as a more-than-capable centre half in the Championship and it's little surprise that he has no shortage of clubs monitoring his situation, with big-spending duo Birmingham City and Wrexham reportedly interested in landing a deal this summer alongside Norwich City and others.

Football League World looks at the news regarding the contract saga between Swansea and Darling and the transfer speculation surrounding the defender...

Russell Martin eyeing Harry Darling reunion at Rangers

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, ex-Swansea boss Martin is eyeing a reunion with Darling after taking the job with Scottish giants Rangers.

Martin was recently appointed as Rangers manager after being out of work for several months following his sacking from Southampton, whom he left Swansea for in the summer of 2023.

The 39-year-old is now reportedly eager to bring Darling north of the border this summer in a development which should really come as little shock. Darling worked under Martin at Stadium MK before the manager took him to Swansea, and is said to be keen on the idea of a reunion.

The left-footed defender has made 57 appearances under Martin overall.

Stoke City join Harry Darling transfer race

As per the same report published by TEAMtalk, Championship rivals Stoke have joined the ever-intensifying race for a deal for Darling.

It would, admittedly, be more of a surprise to see Darling end up at the Bet 365 Stadium in the coming weeks. Stoke finished seven places and ten points behind the Swans in the second-tier last term, but will be hopeful of an uplift in fortunes ahead of Mark Robins' first full campaign in charge and may also be able to offer a more lucrative salary to Darling.

The Potters have already been getting to work on the transfer front and recently completed the signing of Welsh international star Sorba Thomas from Huddersfield Town.

Ben Knapper, Liam Manning address Norwich City's transfer interest in Harry Darling

Meanwhile, senior figures at Norwich have indicated the club's interest in Darling following initial reports.

The Canaries are among a clutch of sides to have been credited with an interest in Darling's signature, and both sporting director Ben Knapper and recently-appointed head coach Liam Manning spoke about the situation at the ex-Bristol City boss' Carrow Road unveiling on Monday.

Knapper admitted that Norwich are "aware" of Darling and value him as a "fantastic player", although he acknowledged the flurry of interest in the Swansea star.

"We've got irons in the fire, and there's always things going on, so things can move quickly," Knapper explained. "But if I had a gun to my head I'd say ‘probably’ (no more signings this window until the window re-opens on June 16), but let's see.

"You never know things can quickly slide into gear and move quite fast towards the end. We know that time's quite tight for this window, but re-opens in the not too distant future.

"Is he somebody that we're aware of, that we think is a fantastic player? Of course, but like Liam said, he's a free agent this summer. He's got a lot of interest.

"And there's lots of players that we're looking at, so at this point, it'd be naive of me to say that this player is going to come in, or another one is. We’re doing lots of work behind the scenes, and I'm sure as and when there's any updates, we'll let you guys know."

Manning played his cards closer to his chest, although, having also worked with Darling at MK, he remains in little doubt over what the defender can offer.

"I had a terrific time with Harry a few years ago at MK, and I thought he was outstanding," Manning added.

"And look, he's really excelled at the level. For me, I think he's someone that's showing what he's capable of at Championship level.

"There's not a huge amount of players at his age or his profile that are available. So of course, he'll have a large amount of interest, but he's definitely someone familiar."

Swansea City chief Richard Montague addresses Harry Darling's situation

Swansea director of football, Richard Montague, has also addressed the ongoing situation.

Montague admitted he's unsure what lies ahead in the saga for both Swansea and Darling, although plans are being undertaken to search for alternatives. That could, of course, suggest that Swansea are lacking confidence in securing a new deal for the coveted defender.

He also suggested that Swansea could decide to walk away from negotiations if fresh terms cannot be thrashed out.

"The ball is very much in Harry’s court," Montague said. "We made him what we thought was a very strong offer and I believe he would think is a very strong offer.

"We are, and have been throughout the whole period, looking at our other options in that position to make sure we are well covered.

"Our job really has been to balance off the chances of Harry signing a contract with other players, trying to match up those timelines to make sure we are not caught short.

"I don’t think we are going to be caught short, is what I would say.

"That (a new contract for Darling) would be great. But it’s our job to try to be prepared for every eventuality and I wouldn’t say with any confidence what he is going to do.

"Absolutely. Of course there is (a point where we have to move on)," Montague added. "I think we have communicated that internally and to Harry and his representatives.

"I would like to think regardless of the outcome there, we can finish as a stronger unit than when we went into the window.

"If Harry Darling chooses to leave, he is an exceptional Championship defender, but we need to be able to back ourselves to find alternative options in that position."