SWANS: Burgess out for the season after ruptured Achilles confirmed

Swansea City have suffered a heavy blow on the eve of the new Championship season, with the club confirming centre-back Cameron Burgess will miss the entire campaign because of a ruptured Achilles.

Burgess limped off during Swansea’s EFL Cup defeat to Birmingham City last weekend.

The 30-year-old played every minute of Swansea’s league campaign last season after joining from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025.

Australia international Burgess, who featured at this summer’s World Cup, was a mainstay of Swansea’s defence alongside captain Ben Cabango, leaving Vitor Matos with a hole to fill when the new league season begins at Stoke City this Saturday.

“Cam’s one of the main players of the team,” said head coach Matos.

“Unfortunately for him, he has this situation now. We are here for him and for the family as a club.

“He knows that he has all our support, and we know as well that he has the right mentality and the right character to bounce back, and he will do everything to be as quick as possible and in the best shape as well.”

In Burgess’ absence, summer signing Stephen Welsh and academy product Filip Lissah are contenders to start alongside club captain Cabango against the Potters.

Matos said last week that Welsh was “more than ready to come in” and that Lissah could also play centre-back, having praised the 21-year-old’s versatility across the back four.

But the expectation is that the Swans will aim to recruit at least one more central defender before the transfer window closes.

“I said that of course we need more depth in one or two positions, so we are seeing the market in the same way until it’s closed,” added Matos, who is also keen to strengthen in central midfield.

“There are a lot of options, and we will see what we need to do regarding that.”

The club was already in the market for a centre-back before the injury, and the window does not close until 1 September.

Swansea have been busy on both sides of the ledger this summer, with Ross Stewart, Moussa Yeo, Elijah Just, Joseph Opoku and Tiago Parente arriving, and Ethan Galbraith, Liam Cullen, Cameron Congreve and Ollie Cooper among those to leave.

They also rejected a Hull City bid for Zan Vipotnik this week, the striker who scored 23 league goals last season.

Saturday’s opener against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium kicks off at 3pm.