Nathan Wood completed his move to Southampton yesterday, expressing his gratitude to Saints boss Russell Martin, who had initially brought him to Swansea two years ago. Despite Southampton’s interest last season, Swansea managed to retain their central defender until now.
The transfer was announced for an “undisclosed fee,” believed to include a sell-on clause to Middlesbrough, from whom Swansea signed Wood in 2022. There are also anticipated further clauses that could increase the fee in the future, reflecting the high regard Martin holds for Wood.
Wood mentioned that he has maintained contact with Martin over the past year since Martin left Swansea, and this ongoing relationship made his decision to join Southampton an easy one.
“We had a good relationship, so we kept in touch through the past year, and when the phone call came and it was like, ‘we want you to come’, it was easy really,” Wood said upon completing the move.
“It’s massive. I think any player would say it’s a big thing when you know you’ve got someone that believes in you – someone that’s going to give you the chance and improve you as a player and as a person.
“One of the big things at Swansea was moving away for the first time, properly away from home, so I had to get used to living five hours away from home.”
“Obviously, I improved on the pitch massively in those 40 games, but it was more off the pitch where the big difference was. We had a great group of lads at Swansea, but I think that filtered down from the way the manager set standards and the environment,” Wood commented.
Some observers suggest that keeping in touch with the player was not beneficial for Swansea last term. It’s likely that Wood’s head was turned soon after Martin joined Southampton last summer. Such scenarios are common in football, making Wood’s departure inevitable given the interest and influence from his former manager.
Wood’s admiration for his former manager was evident as he added, “It’s the best type of football, I think. For me personally, I enjoyed my football the most in that one season at Swansea with the gaffer. It’s enjoyable to watch, it’s enjoyable to play in, and I’m just looking forward to seeing how it goes in the Prem. I think it’s going to be exciting. To implement the way we want to play, that’s a big thing for the manager – he’s not going to change the way he is – and to really put our mark on the league. I think the main focus is just to get the best out of myself and everyone else around me every day, and I’m sure we will succeed.”
Wood’s departure leaves a gap in Swansea’s defense that will likely be addressed in the transfer market. While a central defender was not a priority this summer, Williams will be reluctant to rely on just two main options at the back and will seek someone who can compete in that area. A second season for Bashir Humphreys has been suggested, but the preference might be to bring in a player who can develop market value over a few years, similar to Wood.
The key for Swansea is that Wood’s departure has provided additional transfer and wage funds to augment the summer budgets, which is a positive outcome.
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