Swansea City sign Nelson Abbey and Florian Bianchini, loan out Liam Smith
Swansea City secure two new signings and loan out Liam Smith Credit: None
Defender Nelson Abbey has joined the Swansea City on loan from Olympiacos.
The 20-year-old, who previously played for Reading and has experience with England's youth teams, will spend the rest of the 2024-25 campaign at Swansea, wearing the number 32 shirt. Abbey is expected to be available for Swansea's upcoming south Wales derby.
Head coach Luke Williams praised Abbey’s attributes, noting, “Nelson has key performance data that we really like... he has those physical qualities and he has an aptitude for it, as well. He does not look uncomfortable being that high and recovering.” Williams also highlighted Abbey’s comfort on the ball and his defensive skills, adding, “He shows a really good attitude towards being involved in the build-up and having the ball.”
Swansea have also completed the signing of Florian Bianchini from SC Bastia. The 23-year-old forward has signed a four-year contract, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2028. Bianchini, who will wear the number 19 shirt, is also expected to be available for the south Wales derby.
Describing Bianchini’s potential, Williams stated, “Florian is very dynamic, he can play on both sides... He has a natural flair and can beat players, and he wants to go at the goal.” The head coach acknowledged that Bianchini would need time to adapt but expressed confidence in his ability to make an impact, saying, “He is a player who can give us a lot of options... he looks like a really good fit.”
Bianchini comes to Swansea after a successful stint at SC Bastia in Ligue 2, where he scored five goals and provided six assists last season.
Meanwhile, midfielder Liam Smith has joined Partick Thistle on loan. The 20-year-old will spend the remainder of the 2024-25 season with the Scottish Championship side, aiming to gain more first-team experience.
Smith joined Swansea from Manchester City in 2023, having developed his skills with the Premier League giants and winning the Premier League 2 Under-18 title. The Scotland youth international began his career with Kilmarnock before moving south.
