Connor Roberts Expresses Desire to Rejoin Swansea City

Connor Roberts, who joined his local club Swansea’s academy at the age of nine, progressed through their youth system. Wales defender Connor Roberts has expressed his ambition to rejoin Swansea City before his playing days conclude. This statement comes ahead of Wales’ Nations League match against Turkey, scheduled for Saturday, 16 November, at 17:00 GMT at Kadir Has Stadium, Kayseri. The game will be broadcast live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, with live text commentary available on the BBC Sport website and app. Roberts recently competed against Swansea as a Burnley player last weekend, contributing to the Clarets’ 1-0 victory over the club where he began his career. The 29-year-old departed the Swans for Turf Moor in 2021, having signed a four-year contract that concludes at the end of the current season. Although his immediate objective is to assist Burnley in their bid for promotion back to the Premier League, Roberts harbors hopes of playing for Swansea once more in the future. Speaking to BBC Wales Sport’s Feast of Football, Roberts remarked, “It was strange [facing Swansea]. It’s always been strange. But it’s the environment we are in.” He added, “Hopefully one day I can go back to Swansea and I can be on their team for once. There will hopefully be good memories when I do go back and play for them again.” However, he clarified his current commitment: “But at the moment I am a Burnley player and I want to win every game and do my best for the Burnley fans and everyone associated with that club.” Roberts made 152 first-team appearances for Swansea, scoring 11 goals, after progressing through the club’s academy. His debut occurred during Swansea’s final period in the Premier League, but he truly established himself in the team after their relegation in 2018. Connor Roberts was transferred to Burnley with only one year remaining on his Swansea contract. This transfer to Burnley, then a top-flight club, took place after Swansea’s defeat to Brentford in the 2021 Championship play-off final. The right-back achieved his 100th appearance for the Clarets during last Sunday’s victory against Swansea. Following a loan spell at Leeds United during the second half of the 2023-24 season, Roberts has played 12 times for Burnley this season, contributing to Scott Parker’s team currently holding fourth place in the Championship. While Burnley is set to play Bristol City on 23 November, Roberts’ immediate attention is directed towards Wales’ upcoming Nations League fixtures: away against Turkey this Saturday and at home against Iceland next Tuesday. Roberts, who previously worked with Craig Bellamy at Burnley when the former Wales forward served as assistant to ex-manager Vincent Kompany, stated he is not surprised by the encouraging progress observed in the initial phase of the Wales head coach’s tenure. He commented, “It’s been fantastic. We have had a good start. We have areas where we have been fantastic and areas where we can still improve.” He further added, “We want to keep pushing to be an unbelievable team, not just a good one. We have two tough games coming up now but they are games we are all excited for.” Viewers can watch Connor Roberts on Feast of Football on BBC One Wales on Friday, 15 November at 22:40 GMT, with on-demand availability afterwards. The program features Sandi Toksvig alongside Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. It also includes opportunities to sing along to music from Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and other artists. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are returning for the Longleat Safari Park festivities. Topics range from microplastics in air, soil, and waterways to the issue of food waste during this period. © 2024 BBC. The BBC disclaims responsibility for content on external sites and provides information regarding its external linking policy.