Swansea City have completed the signing of Polish winger Przemysław Płacheta from Norwich City on a short-term, permanent deal. The 25-year-old underwent a medical at the Swansea.com Stadium on Thursday and will join Luke Williams’ squad for the rest of the season.
Płacheta is a versatile and pacey player who can operate on both flanks and as a left-back. He has also represented Poland at various youth levels and made his senior debut in 2020.
Płacheta’s career in Poland
Płacheta started his professional career at Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała, where he made his debut in the Polish top flight at the age of 17. He scored his first goal in the Ekstraklasa in 2016 and helped his team avoid relegation.
In 2017, he moved to Górnik Zabrze, where he established himself as a regular starter and a key player. He scored 10 goals and provided 11 assists in 66 appearances for Górnik, attracting the attention of bigger clubs in Poland and abroad.
In 2019, he signed for Ślask Wrocław, where he continued his impressive form and development. He scored nine goals and assisted seven in 35 games for Ślask, earning his first call-up to the Poland national team in September 2020.
Płacheta’s time in England
Płacheta joined Norwich City in 2020 for a fee of around £2.5million, signing a four-year contract. He made his debut for the Canaries in the EFL Cup against Luton Town, scoring his first goal for the club.
He played 28 times for Norwich in the 2020/21 season, scoring once and assisting three times, as the club won the Championship title and secured promotion to the Premier League. However, he struggled to adapt to the top flight and found his opportunities limited under Daniel Farke.
He was loaned out to Birmingham City at the start of the 2021/22 season, but his spell was cut short by injuries. He returned to Norwich and played 14 times in the first half of the season, but failed to register a goal or an assist.
He was given another chance by new manager David Wagner, who took over from Farke in November 2022. He played 19 times in all competitions for Norwich this season, scoring once and assisting once. However, he was not a regular starter and was left out of the last three matchday squads.
Płacheta’s move to Swansea City
With his contract expiring in the summer and Norwich looking to offload him, Płacheta was linked with a move to several Championship clubs, including Rotherham United. However, Swansea City emerged as the frontrunners for his signature and agreed a short-term, permanent deal with Norwich on Thursday.
Swansea manager Luke Williams expressed his delight at signing Płacheta, saying: “We are very happy to welcome Przemysław to the club. He is a player we have been following for a while and we believe he can add a lot of quality and depth to our squad. He is a very quick and skilful winger who can create and score goals. He also has experience of playing in the Championship and at international level, which will be valuable for us. We are looking forward to working with him and helping him reach his full potential.”
Płacheta also shared his excitement at joining Swansea, saying: “I am very happy to be here and I can’t wait to start playing for Swansea. I want to thank Norwich for giving me the opportunity to play in England and for their support during my time there. I also want to thank the fans for their kindness and encouragement. I wish them all the best for the future. Now I am focused on Swansea and I want to help the team achieve their goals. I am ready to work hard and give my best for the club and the fans. I hope we can have a successful season together.”
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Feature Image Credit: Swansea City Football Club