Transfer Centre

Paul Clement rules out selling Kyle Bartley to Leeds United

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 11 May 2017

Paul Clement insists that defender Kyle Bartley will remain a Swansea City player next season, despite rumoured interest from Leeds United to sign him permanently.

Swansea City manager Paul Clement has insisted that he is "looking forward" to working with defender Kyle Bartley next season, ruling out a potential switch to Leeds United in the summer.

The 25-year-old featured 45 times on loan at Elland Road this term, scoring six times and playing a key role at the back in the Whites' Championship playoff challenge.

Bartley skippered United for much of the campaign and had been linked with making a permanent move to West Yorkshire, but Clement has put paid to those hopes by claiming that the centre-back is going nowhere.

"He's had a good season, we've spoken on the telephone and said well done," he told reporters. "It's unusual loan players captaining the side, he's done well, but from our point of view I'm looking forward to him coming back and working with him.

"As far as I'm concerned he's a Swansea player and he's staying. He's coming back here."

Bartley joined Swansea from Arsenal in 2012 and has since spent time on loan in the second tier with Birmingham City and Leeds.