He’s always been the outside man at Swansea, Salford born Nathaniel Ogbeta, now twenty two, has seen successful loans at Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers since signing for the Swans. But only three appearances in his clubs shirt.

So, what’s the deal with Ogbeta ?

Quite simply he is out of contract on June 30th, and the Swans have not indicated at any point if he has a future at the club. Currently he is in the Bolton side as they try and slip in to second place in League One. They already have achieved a play off spot bar an unprecedented goal difference turnaround. Ogbeta is playing, and that’s just what he needs to get back in to his managers eye line at what is now called the ‘Toughsheet Stadium’ That manager is Ian Evatt who has ensured Ogbeta has a first team place and has done since the end of February.

He has contributed with a goal and two assists over the past ten games as Bolton pursue Derby County for second place. Speaking yesterday Ogbeta stated via Bolton news, “There hasn’t been much said, to be fair, I have just been trying to concentrate on my football and my agent is usually the one who usually deals with what is going on. I have been focussed on what is happening here and pushing for automatic promotion. I have obviously been keeping tabs on how they have been doing, seeing the system, what has been going on but for me, I have been so happy coming here and so grateful to the gaffer for giving me the opportunity. My contract is running up at Swansea but I am excited to see what the future holds. Just being here has been such a catalyst.”

The truth is the Swans do not have an eye on a new contract at this stage, and you would think they will release him come June. Nathanael has never really been tried and tested in a Swans shirt and it’s looking more than likely that will continue to be the case up until he leaves. For a three hundred thousand pound shell out when he signed for Swansea from Shrewsbury in January 2022, coordinated by then Sporting Director, Mark Allen you would think more could have been done ? The next truth is this signing by Allen was the final straw in his relationship with the clubs hierarchy. Russell Martin was furious that he wasn’t consulted and the last minutes of that particular deadline day deal, literally at the last moment were met with the signing of Ogbeta.

He has always been out of favour, his disciplinary record was perfect at Swansea as it has been at Peterborough and Bolton. He just never got the chance, and so it seems he is on his way.

Photograph with permission Dimitris Legakis

ncswan added 21:36 - Apr 16 Who in the Swans hierarchy allows this to happen? Goodness sakes, at least try them on for size and see if the shoe fits! Ogbeta, Kukharevych, Whittaker, Gyokeres, who else? Wasteful and not helpful, and in the latter two could have led to multi-million sales.. Drives me nuts when I see/read about how managers & admin recruiting dept can't get on the same page. IMO, a lot of the blame has to be directed at the manager for not even giving these youngsters a chance to show what they can do.

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