Swans would only sell Vipotnik for 'proper money'

Clubs will have to stump up "proper money" to prise star striker Zan Vipotnik away from Swansea City, according to head coach Vitor Matos, who is keen to keep the player for next season.

The 24-year-old Slovenia forward is currently the top scorer in the Championship, with his two penalties in Monday's 2-2 home draw with Middlesbrough taking his divisional tally to 20.

With five league games remaining, beginning with Saturday's trip to strugglers Leicester City (15:00 BST), Vipotnik is odds-on to claim the golden boot as the division's top scorer, with Coventry City's USA attacker Haji Wright his nearest challenger on 16.

Vipotnik has blossomed this season following a quiet first campaign after the Slovenian's move from French side Bordeaux on a free transfer in August 2024, catching the eye for the mid-table Swans.

In March, Vipotnik signed a new long-term deal that ties him to south Wales until summer 2030, meaning Swansea are under no pressure to sell their prized asset.

"There's nothing you can do to control the market," Matos said. "What you can do is improve the player, offer him the best contract possible that allows him to be happy here, treating him with care and professionalism, and his family.

"That's what we offer, that's what we want. He knows our project, he knows what we want for us as a club for the future.

"He wants to be part of that, if he didn't he would not have signed it (the new contract).

"Of course we are like all the clubs in football, there's always a market and there's always a market that can come.

"The good thing is that they need to come with proper money."

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'Joy' to watch EFL award nominee Vipotnik

His good form has seen Vipotnik nominated for the English Football League Championship Player of the Season award - which will be announced on Sunday, 19 April - with Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, Coventry City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and Millwall wide-attacker Femi Azeez the other players in the running.

"I'm really happy, that individual prize says a lot about a player, about a season, and it's always good that the player can have a reward about something," Matos added.

"Then it's about how we can, as a team, keep improving, because when you improve as a team, 100% you improve as an individual and the other way as well.

"It's about taking the best out of them, and I think that's what we're doing with Zan... with Zan, there was a lot (of improvement), I think there's still a lot to come.

"We were speaking about the amount of time we as a club relied on him for a period of time when Adam (Idah) got injured and now he coped, keeping the intensity, always available.

"Of course we needed to manage them in a few games, which we did by using Liam (Cullen) and Mel (Melker Widell) in that position as well.

"But the consistency he (Vipotnik) showed just as well on the finishing, on the pressing - controlling the press and starting the press - in some games we needed to use him as a support to build and to find the third man combination to get higher. He offered that as well.

"So he's been important for us, that's clear, and I'm really happy with the progress. He improved inside of the box, how to move, he's finding his spots quite easier and much more spontaneous as well, and I think it's really a joy to watch him at the moment."

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