Swansea City Board Release Statement as Club Prepares for Life in the Championship

The board of Swansea City have published a statement in order to bring supporters 'up to speed with the most important of developments' as the club begins the rebuilding process following their relegation from the Premier League.

The Swans suffered the agony of relegation at the end of last season, bringing their seven-year spell in English football's top flight to an unhappy end. Manager Carlos Carvalhal departed the club soon after, with new manager Graham Potter appointed from Swedish outfit Ostersund and tasked with rebuilding the club ahead of life in the Championship.

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In the statement, published on the club's official website, the Swansea board praise Potter for "his vision for the club, its need to re-establish an identity and a style of football that befits the traditions of Swansea City."

The statement also makes it clear that Potter will have a great deal of control over signings and will be given the opportunity to build the squad in his own vision, saying: "He is the leader and has the final say on the players we buy and sell within the financial framework set by the chairman and Board of Directors."

Potter will be joined at Swansea by Billy Reid, his assistant manager from Ostersund. Completing Swansea's trio of new staff is Kyle Macauley, who also worked with Potter in Sweden and will now become Swansea's head of recruitment.

Potter took charge of Ostersund in 2010 when the club were playing in Sweden's fourth tier, guiding the club up the football ladder and achieving promotion to the Allsvenskan for the first time in their history in 2015. 

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In 2017, his side won the Svenska Cupen and qualified for the 2017/18 Europa League, reaching the knockout stages of the competition and famously defeating Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium before being knocked out by the Gunners on aggregate.