Swans bid farewell to a player the coaches loved

Liam Cullen made his Swansea debut in 2018 [Getty Images] Liam Cullen's Swansea City exit brings to an end a 19-year association with the club he joined as an eight-year-old. Regarded as a player to watch throughout his time in Swansea's academy, Cullen delivered on his potential, making 207 senior appearances across the past eight years. His departure leaves a hole in the dressing room that will be tricky to fill given his length of service and commitment to the club he grew up supporting. Swansea are also losing a dependable performer, one Vitor Matos described as the player "all the coaches love" earlier this year. Cullen has faced criticism from some fans at times through the years, despite his obvious commitment to the cause. "He has this mentality, which I love, that if he's to play five minutes, he will play that five minutes trying to make an impact and trying to make that five minutes the best of his life," Matos said of Cullen in February. Cullen's various other Swansea bosses would say similar things, as would Wales head coach Craig Bellamy. It is no surprise, therefore, that Russell Martin has turned to Cullen having worked with him in Wales. Leicester City are getting a player who can operate as a striker – his favoured position for many years – or, as he has done more often in recent times, in an advanced midfield role. Cullen has not been a prolific goalscorer at first-team level – his best season's return for Swansea was 12, in 2024-25 – though Martin will be well aware of that. At Swansea, meanwhile, Cullen's exit will leave the likes of Leo Walta and Melker Widell – plus summer recruits Moussa Yeo and Elijah Just – to fight it out for opportunities behind a centre-forward.