Swansea leave door open for Allen as duo stay on

Joe Allen is set to take a break from football after his Swansea exit [Getty Images] Vitor Matos has left the door open for Joe Allen to return to his staff in the future as the club legend bids farewell to Swansea City. Matos says he is sad to lose Allen, who is keen for a break from football, but has revealed that Leon Britton and Kristian O'Leary will remain in his backroom team next season. Allen, 36, is to step down from the coaching role he has held since Matos took charge last November, after Swansea round off 2025-26 with a home game against Charlton Athletic on Saturday (12:30 BST).

"Joey is a special person for all of us, not only for me but for the club," said Swansea head coach Matos. "Unfortunately we need to say goodbye to Joey. He's probably not happy that I'm saying that, but I love him.

"Our door is always open for when he wants to return and he knows that I wish him all the best, for him and for his family. "He's a legend of the club, will always be a legend of the club as a player and, from now on, he's as well a really important coach that spent time in the club. " Allen and Britton, two of the greatest players in Swansea's history, returned to the club on what was initially expected to be a short-term basis to support Matos after his arrival from Portuguese club Maritimo.

Former midfielder Joe Allen ended his second spell as a Swansea player when retired in May 2025 [Huw Evans Picture Agency] Matos' backroom team eventually followed him to Wales the following month – after work permit issues were sorted out – but Swansea then announced that Allen and Britton were to stay on. While Allen, who only retired as a player 12 months ago, is now moving on, Britton, 43, is stay on as a coach alongside O'Leary, who returned to Swansea's first-team staff for a second spell in 2022. Matos says Wales great Allen made a "fantastic" contribution during his unplanned spell as a coach.