Swansea City simply must sanction new agreement for "exceptional" star | OneFootball

Kyle Naughton rolled back the years in Swansea City's recent win over Bristol City

Swansea City needed a hero to step up to put an end to their winless run when they traveled to Bristol City, and while Josh Tymon may have got the plaudits for his winning goal, it was the elder statesman in Luke Williams' squad who laid the foundations for the win.

Kyle Naughton was handed a relatively rare start on Sunday lunchtime as Swansea had the daunting task of facing a Bristol City side with play-off ambitions, and while it was a move that may have raised eyebrows, it certainly paid off.

The 36-year-old was one of the best players on the pitch, showing his class both in defence and in attack, and while the win helped to ease fears of Swansea being drawn into a relegation battle, it also gave the club's hierarchy an easy decision to make.

Swansea City have simple Kyle Naughton decision to make after Bristol City win

January marked ten years since Naughton joined Swansea from Tottenham, and despite coming towards the end of his career, he showed he's still got it in Swansea's win at Ashton Gate.

Naughton provided a calming presence in Swansea's defence, but his key involvements in the first half were two through balls for Ronald and Zan Vipotnik, which could have resulted in two goals.

Despite being a 36-year-old defender, there is arguably no one else in Swansea's squad capable of playing those passes, particularly after Matt Grimes' departure, and he oozed class throughout in the win over the Robins.

The former Spurs defender is out of contract at the end of the season, and it remains to be seen what his plans are, but if he wishes to keep playing, then offering him a new deal is a no-brainer for Swansea.

Naughton has signed one-year extensions at Swansea for the last couple of seasons, and it's standard procedure to see him pen a new deal every summer, with both the player and the club seemingly keen to take things year-by-year.

If Naughton wants to continue his career, then it will almost certainly be at Swansea, should they offer him a new deal, and he's become a real cult-hero in recent seasons at the Swansea.com Stadium.

While he may not start every week, having someone like Naughton in your squad is invaluable, and his performance on Sunday against Bristol City means it should be an easy decision for the Swans' hierarchy to tie him down for next season.

Experienced heads like Kyle Naughton are worth their weight in gold

While he may not be able to play every minute of every game anymore, Naughton has arguably improved at Swansea with age, and he's an important player to keep around, regardless of how often he's playing.

Players with 172 Premier League appearances and nearly 300 Championship appearances don't come cheap, and having someone like around your squad is so important for a number of reasons.

Naughton can pass on his vast experience to younger players in his position, with the likes of Josh Key and Sam Parker undoubtedly benefiting from his knowledge, and he's shown time after time in recent seasons that he's a great option to help Swansea out of a bad run of form.

Not only that, the 36-year-old is a popular figure with teammates and staff at Swansea, and having characters like that around the training ground is key for morale in the world of modern-day football, where players and managers are always coming and going.

Swansea boss Williams labelled Naughton's performance in the win over Bristol City as "exceptional" and it's easy to see why. While his contract situation probably won't be a priority right now, keeping the veteran defender at the club for another season is a must for the Swans, and he's shown he can still be a huge asset at Championship level.