Highlights
- Swansea City and Oxford United keen on signing TSV Hartberg winger Ruben Providence.
- The winger has been on trial at the two clubs recently, playing in friendly victories for both.
- Swansea and Oxford are now in talks with the Austrian side over a permanent deal for the player.
Swansea City and Oxford United are both looking to sign TSV Hartberg winger Ruben Providence after he impressed on trial with the Championship duo.
The 23-year-old winger, who can operate down either flank, featured for the U’s during a pre-season win over Southampton, whilst he played for Swansea, and recorded an assist, in their victory over Rio Ave on Saturday.
And, Football Insider has revealed that both clubs are now looking to do a deal for Providence as they try to strengthen their respective squads ahead of the new season.
Swansea City and Oxford United keen to sign Ruben Providence
Providence is currently contracted to Hartberg, but the Austrian side has given him permission to play for the clubs as they look to assess him close up before deciding whether to pursue a deal.
It seems he impressed, as the update states that Swansea and Oxford are expected to begin discussions with Hartberg over a permanent move for the player.
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It’s unclear what sort of fee will be needed, but it’s stated that ‘formal offers’ are now expected by both clubs, which would seemingly give Providence a decision to make on his future.
Ruben Providence’s career so far
It’s fair to say that the talent of the former French U19 international was recognised at an early age, as Providence spent five years at the PSG academy before deciding to leave for Roma in 2019.
He spent four years with the Italian giants, although he didn’t play, and he had two loan spells, to Club Brugge and Estoril, where he also didn’t get minutes with the first-team.
A third loan to Hartberg followed in 2022/23, which gave the player a first taste of competitive football, and the move was made permanent the following summer.
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Ruben Providence’s TSV Hartberg League Stats (Source: Transfermarkt) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
|
2022/23 |
21 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
2023/24 |
27 |
2 |
2 |
|
In total, Providence has made over 50 appearances for the Austrian Bundesliga side, which included helping the team to a fifth placed finish last time out.
Ruben Providence could be a gamble that pays off for Swansea City or Oxford United
Of course, clubs take a risk with every transfer, and there are certainly elements to this potential deal that would have fans thinking twice about whether it’s a smart move.
Firstly, Providence has only played two full seasons in his career so far, and the Championship is a big step up from the Austrian Bundesliga in terms of intensity and quality.
But, he is still a talented young player who has room to develop, and the fact he was on the books of clubs like PSG and Roma shows that natural ability is there.
So, Luke Williams and Des Buckingham will recognise that, and they will back themselves to be the sort of coach that can help individuals fulfil their potential.
In that sense, for the right fee, it could be a risk worth taking. We know that both Swansea and Oxford don’t have the resources of many rivals in the league, so they need to make some brave decisions in the market, and this is a move that could pay off spectacularly if it does go to plan.