| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sil Laurentius Swinkels[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sheffield Wednesday | ||
| Youth career | |||
| RKSV Rhode | |||
| Helmond Sport | |||
| Brabant United | |||
| 2017–2020 | Vitesse Arnhem | ||
| 2020–2021 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2026 | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2025–2026 | → Exeter City (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2026 | → Chesterfield (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2026– | Sheffield Wednesday | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2019–2020 | Netherlands U15 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Netherlands U18 | 4 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 08:14, 16 June 2026 (UTC) | |||
Sil Laurentius Swinkels (born 6 January 2004) is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club Sheffield Wednesday. Swinkels has played for the Netherlands internationally at youth levels up to under-18.
Early life
[edit]Swinkels was born in Sint-Oedenrode in the south of the Netherlands in 2004.[3]
Club career
[edit]Youth career
[edit]Having played youth football for Dutch sides RKSV Rhode, Helmond Sport, Brabant United and Vitesse Arnhem, he joined Aston Villa's academy in summer 2020.[3][4]
Swinkels made an unexpected first team debut for Aston Villa when, due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Villa were forced to play an inexperienced squad in an FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on 8 January 2021.[5]
On 24 May 2021, Swinkels was part of the Aston Villa U18s team that won the FA Youth Cup, beating Liverpool U18s 2–1 in the final.[6] On 10 August 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Aston Villa.[7]
In March 2023, Swinkels suffered a torn ACL in a Premier League 2 match against Southampton B which he confirmed would result in an extended period on the sidelines.[8] Swinkels eventually returned to football on 8 April 2024, in a 4–0 defeat for Villa U21s against Chelsea U21s.[9] After coming back from injury and playing a part in Aston Villa U21s reaching the Premier League 2 play-offs and winning the Birmingham Senior Cup, on 17 May 2024, Swinkels signed a contract extension with Aston Villa.[10]
Aston Villa
[edit]On 24 September 2024, Swinkels made his first appearance for the senior Aston Villa team for the first time since 2021 during a 2–1 away victory against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup.[11] Swinkels was a regular substitute option for Villa in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and 2024-25 Premier League over the first half of the season but did not appear.[12]
On 28 November 2024, Swinkels signed another contract extension with Aston Villa.[13]
On 3 February 2025, Swinkels signed for EFL League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[14] Swinkels made his English Football League debut on 11 February 2025, scoring a 91st minute equaliser in a match against Stockport County.[15]
On 17 July 2025, Swinkels returned to League One, joining Exeter City on a season-long loan deal.[16]
On 4 January 2026, Swinkels was recalled from his loan at Exeter, and immediately loaned out to EFL League Two club Chesterfield for the rest of the season.[17] Swinkels made his Chesterfield debut only one hour after his transfer was announced, playing 90 minutes in a 2–2 draw against Milton Keynes Dons.[18]
Sheffield Wednesday
[edit]On 2 July 2026, Swinkels joined EFL League One club Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract.[19][20]
International career
[edit]Swinkels played for Netherlands at the under-15 level. On 6 September 2021, Swinkels made his debut for Netherlands U18 in a 5–0 friendly victory over Italy.[21] He scored his first goal at youth international level for Netherlands U18s, on 28 March 2022, in a 4–1 away victory over Germany.[22]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of end of 2025–26 season
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 2020–21[23] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021–22[24] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[25] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24[26] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25[27] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26[28] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2024–25[27] | League One | 14 | 2 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | ||
| Exeter City (loan) | 2025–26[28] | League One | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Chesterfield (loan) | 2025–26[28] | League Two | 22 | 0 | – | – | 2[b] | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2026–27[29] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 41 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 55 | 2 | ||
- 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- ↑ Appearance(s) in League Two play-offs
Honours
[edit]Aston Villa U18s
Aston Villa U21s
- Birmingham Senior Cup: 2023-24[30]
References
[edit]- ↑ "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League Website. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- ↑
- Droog, Julian (25 July 2020). . (in Dutch).
- ↑ Husband, Ben (3 August 2020). "Aston Villa complete deal for highly-rated academy prospect". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ↑ "Aston Villa defender Sil Swinkels full of pride after debut in Liverpool defeat". OneFootball. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- 1 2 Preece, Ashley (24 May 2021). "Aston Villa vs Liverpool FA Youth Cup final LIVE updates". BirminghamLive. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ↑ "Aston Villa Academy trio sign pro deals". Aston Villa Football Club. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ↑ Preece, Ashley (22 March 2023). "Aston Villa youngster Sil Swinkels confirms devastating injury". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ↑ "U21s: Aston Villa 0-4 Chelsea". Aston Villa Football Club. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ↑ "Sil Swinkels signs new contract". Aston Villa Football Club. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ↑ "Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Aston Villa". Aston Villa Football Club. 24 September 2024.
- ↑ "Matches - Sil Swinkels - Results and fixtures - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ Townley, John (28 November 2024). "Aston Villa confirm new contract for defender". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ↑ "Sil Swinkels joins Bristol Rovers on loan". Aston Villa Football Club. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ↑ "Swinkels heads home to earn late draw against Stockport". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ↑ "Sil Swinkels is a Grecian!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ↑ "Swinkels joins Chesterfield on loan". Aston Villa Football Club. 4 January 2026. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ↑ Norcliffe, Liam (4 January 2026). "New loan trio 'absolutely outstanding' on debuts - reaction to MK Dons draw". Derbyshire Times. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ↑ "Sil Swinkels seals Owls move!". Sheffield Wednesday FC. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Sheff Wed sign Aston Villa defender Swinkels". BBC Sport. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Netherlands U18 vs. Italy U18 - 6 September 2021 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ↑ "GER 1-4 NET | Germany - Netherlands". www.flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ↑ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- 1 2 "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2026/2027". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ↑ "BSC: Aston Villa 9-0 Racing Club Warwick". Aston Villa Football Club. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Dutch men's footballers
- Netherlands men's youth international footballers
- Dutch expatriate men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Helmond Sport players
- SBV Vitesse players
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Bristol Rovers F.C. players
- Exeter City F.C. players
- Chesterfield F.C. players
- Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
- English Football League players
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- 21st-century Dutch sportsmen