Swansea City must take Liam Cullen action amid Luke Williams’ shortage: View | OneFootball

Swansea City need to sort Liam Cullen's contract extension given their lack of options at striker

The last 12 months or so has been a difficult time for Swansea City striker Liam Cullen, with the Welsh international having no further clarity on his future in south Wales, despite doing all he can on the pitch.

Cullen was due to leave Swansea as a free agent in the summer, but the club triggered a 12-month extension, with the view to extending his deal on a long-term basis afterwards.

However, there is still no sign of a new deal, leaving the 25-year-old in limbo with his time at the club set to come to an end next summer.

The three-cap Welsh international hasn't been short of Championship interest in the past, and while he may not be a hugely prolific Championship goalscorer, letting him leave on a free transfer to join a divisional rival would be a huge mistake by Swansea.

What makes matters worse for Swansea is that he's one of just two strikers on the books at the club, and losing him in January or next summer would leave them ridiculously short of options.

Swansea must sort Liam Cullen's contract given their striker shortage

As it stands, Swansea have just Cullen and Zan Vipotnik as their striker options, leaving them extremely short of bodies up front.

The Welshman missed Swansea's trip to West Brom recently due to injury, which meant that midfielder Ollie Cooper had to play at striker in the second half, hardly an ideal situation for a Championship club.

Cullen saw his deal extended by another 12 months thanks to an option in his existing contract, but that effectively kicked the can down the road, with the player keen to sign a new permanent deal at the club at the club, giving both parties clarity.

Swansea boss Luke Williams challenged the 25-year-old to show why he deserves a new deal, telling Wales Online in April: "That’s where we are at the moment, we have shown a commitment, and it’s a platform for him to show why he should be tied down for a longer time."

The striker isn't a youngster anymore, but he's reportedly earning just £3,600 a week, a very low salary for a Championship starting striker and full international, and Swansea realise that they'll have to increase that wage if he's to stay at the club and sign a new deal, particularly with other Championship clubs interested.

Championship clubs first enquired about Cullen during the 2023 summer transfer window, and the likes of Bristol City, Stoke City and Hull City were keen on a move for the Welshman, according to Darren Witcoop, while Blackburn Rovers were also keen, as per Lancashire Live.

However, that's not been the end of the interest, and it was reported by Football Insider at the end of the most recent transfer window that Cullen is wanted by multiple Championship clubs.

The striker won't struggle to find a new club should he leave Swansea, but the club must do all they can to ensure he remains in SA1 for the foreseeable future.

Liam Cullen has done enough to earn a new contract

Since December 2022, Cullen has scored goals on a relatively regular basis in the Championship, and has scored two goals in his six appearances this season, a respectable return.

His fellow striker, Vipotnik, has made a slow start to life in south Wales, which means Cullen looks set to be Swansea's first choice striker for the foreseeable future, and subsequently their main source of goals.

If he continues to find the back of the net on a regular basis, then the club have no excuse but to give him an improved deal, and the 25-year-old deserves it for his patience and remaining loyal when he could have earned more money elsewhere.

Having been with the club since being eight years old, it's clear that Cullen wants to remain a Swansea City player, and has shown no interest in leaving, despite Championship interest from elsewhere.

He may not be someone who's going to score 20 goals a season in the Championship, but you can expect him to chip in with a few if given a run of games, and he's a useful player to have because of his pressing abilities.

Should the Tenby-born striker end his 17-year association with the club in 2025, it would not be a popular decision amongst the Jack Army, and given their lack of depth at striker this season, it should encourage the club's hierarchy to resolve Cullen's situation as a matter of urgency.