Vitor Matos has declared Swansea City's 2025-26 season as "the beginning of building something," as the club looks to turn their mid-table stability into genuine progress next campaign.

The Swans finished 11th in the Championship for the second consecutive year, a position that felt like a solid foundation after early-season relegation fears were swept aside following Matos' appointment in November. The Portuguese boss took over after Alan Sheehan's dismissal and has since overseen a significant squad evolution.

Reflecting on a year of transition, Matos highlighted the challenge of replacing club legends Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton, both of whom retired last summer. Their departures, combined with a wave of new signings, meant this season was always about laying new groundwork.

"There's a change inside the squad in terms of leadership, new players coming in, players from outside the Championship coming in," Matos explained. "So this was the beginning of building something, that was quite clear for everyone. Then, of course, me coming in, trying to use everything that Alan started and build from that situation towards what I believe in as a manager. If you say it was a season to start everything and stabilise, I would say yes."

However, the manager is already looking forward, insisting that foundations are only valuable if they lead to improvement. "It only counts until the next game, that's the truth, and the next game we need to compete and try to be better," he added.

While Matos has confirmed he does not plan major changes to his playing squad this summer, there will be adjustments in the backroom. Club icon Joe Allen and head of goalkeeping Martyn Margetson are both departing, and Swansea are also set to appoint a new sporting director. Despite these shifts, Matos believes the club is entering a period of clarity and purpose.

"We are getting into a stable moment in terms of structure and in terms of vision," he said. "We know where we want to be and we know what we need to keep doing. The group of players is really good, there are wonderful staff we have in the club, so we are in a good place for sure for the future."

For Swans fans, the message is clear: the rebuilding phase is nearly complete, and the next chapter is about pushing forward. With a settled squad and a clear philosophy, 2026-27 could be the season Swansea finally turn potential into progress.