The 37-year-old joins the Swans from Portuguese side Marítimo on a contract running until the summer of 2029, and he will take charge of his first match on Tuesday night when Derby County visit the Swansea.com stadium.
Matos was the club’s standout choice after a focused but thorough recruitment process. He impressed with a clear plan built around high-intensity football, quick transitions and a possession-based approach – a style that fits Swansea’s long tradition of backing ambitious, forward-thinking young coaches.
Matos brings top-level experience to south Wales. He spent five years at Liverpool as elite development coach under Jürgen Klopp and Pep Lijnders, during a period that saw the club win the Premier League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups.
He played a key role in linking the academy and first team, helping develop talents such as Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, Neco Williams, Sepp van den Berg and Jarell Quansah.
Before joining Liverpool, Matos coached at FC Porto and worked in China. More recently, he led Marítimo, where he reshaped their style of play and pushed the team towards the top end of Liga Portugal 2.
Matos completed his UEFA Pro Licence with the Football Association of Wales and began working towards his coaching qualifications while still in his teens.
Swansea City are now finalising his backroom team. Club legend Leon Britton has joined the staff on a short-term basis, while Joe Allen will support Matos during the transition.
The club can also confirm that Darren O’Dea and Richard Stearman have departed, and we thank them sincerely for their hard work and wish them and their families the very best for the future.
Image Credit: Swansea City Football Club