STWF Sports|Nov. 17, 2025 – Swansea City’s managerial search has taken another major turn, and a familiar face in European coaching circles has now moved to the top of the shortlist. talkSPORT understands that former Liverpool development coach Vitor Matos has emerged as the leading contender to take over at the Liberty Stadium after initial No. 1 target Kim Hellberg unexpectedly withdrew to pursue talks with Middlesbrough.

Matos, currently managing Maritimo in Portugal’s second division, has rapidly risen as one of the most intriguing young coaches on the market. At just 37, he’s already held roles within some of Europe’s most respected developmental systems — and now finds himself in contention for his first major managerial job in English football.

Matos’ Journey: From Liverpool’s Talent Bridge to Head Coach

Matos took charge at Maritimo in June in what marked his first senior head coaching appointment. So far, the results have been impressive. Eleven games into the Liga Portugal 2 campaign, he has guided Maritimo to third place with 20 points, keeping them firmly in promotion contention.

Prior to returning to Portugal, Matos spent five years at Liverpool, where he served as the club’s Elite Development Coach — a key bridge between Jürgen Klopp’s first team and the club’s academy. His impact was so profound that former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders once hailed him as the club’s “best signing” of the 2019 season.

“He is a talented coach, a very intelligent coach,” Lijnders said at the time. “He can make the next step with all these young players… he connects, he influences the boys on the pitch and trains with them.”

Matos’ role at Liverpool made him one of the crucial internal links between Klopp, the youth system, and the club’s sporting structure. His reputation as “the connector” earned him considerable respect inside the club, particularly for his ability to elevate academy prospects into first-team contributors.

After leaving Liverpool in 2024, Matos joined Lijnders at Red Bull Salzburg as his assistant. Their stint in Austria, however, lasted only six months due to a difficult run of results — a rare blemish in an otherwise upward-trending career.

Before his Liverpool appointment, Matos worked for over a decade at FC Porto, moving from an academy role in 2011 into assistant manager duties for Porto B. During that period, he helped guide the development of several future stars — most notably Portugal international and former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Why Swansea Is Looking Again

Swansea’s managerial vacancy opened after the club parted ways with Alan Sheehan, whose difficult start to the Championship campaign left the board with no choice. Despite initially being appointed on an interim basis in February and receiving a permanent contract in April, Sheehan managed just four wins in 15 league fixtures, collecting only 17 points.

It marked Swansea’s worst opening stretch to a season since their 2018 relegation from the Premier League, and the club’s form showed no signs of stabilizing. Sheehan’s dismissal made him the fifth Championship manager to be sacked this season, joining Ruben Selles, Paulo Pezzolano, Will Still, and Liam Manning.

With Hellberg stepping away from consideration, Swansea have shifted quickly — and Matos now sits firmly as the favourite. His developmental pedigree, tactical reputation, and experience inside elite structures offer Swansea a modern, growth-oriented option as they attempt to reboot their season.

A New Era in the Making?

For Swansea, a club eager to re-establish itself as a progressive, possession-based side, Matos represents a compelling candidate. His background at Liverpool and Porto aligns with the club’s identity, and his success at Maritimo suggests he’s ready for a bigger stage.

Talks between Swansea and Matos are expected to accelerate in the coming days. Should he accept, the Swans could soon be placing their future in the hands of one of Europe’s brightest emerging coaching minds — a coach once hailed as Liverpool’s “best signing,” now poised for the biggest opportunity of his young managerial career.