Swansea Back Striker Vipotnik Despite Goalless Start

Swansea City head coach Matos has expressed confidence that striker Zan Vipotnik will rediscover his scoring touch despite a goalless start to the season. The 24-year-old Slovenia international finished as the English Championship’s top scorer last season, but he has been used primarily as a substitute during Swansea’s unbeaten start to the current campaign.

Swansea currently lead the second-tier standings after five matches, having conceded only one goal across their opening fixtures. However, Vipotnik has yet to score in six appearances across all competitions, a stark contrast to the previous season when he scored five goals in his opening six matches en route to winning the second-tier Golden Boot with 23 league goals and 25 overall.

Substituted Role and Squad Competition

Vipotnik has started only one league match this season, playing in Swansea’s opening victory against Stoke City. Since then, Matos has preferred forward Adam Idah, who joined the club from Celtic for £6 million last year. Idah missed most of the previous campaign with an injury but has scored twice in the opening weeks of this season.

Vipotnik came off the bench during Saturday’s goalless derby against Wrexham, failing to capitalise on a late chance against goalkeeper Anthony Patterson. Despite the missed opportunity, Matos praised the forward’s work rate, noting that Vipotnik came on with the right mindset and competed well for the ball. Speaking on Vipotnik’s goal drought, Matos said, “just a matter of scoring and he will score for sure.”

Transfer Bids and Market Uncertainty

Speculation surrounding Vipotnik’s future at the club has also complicated his start to the season. Swansea rejected a concrete £10 million offer from Hull City during the transfer window. Unconfirmed reports also linked Burnley with a deadline-day move, though Matos stated he was unaware of any approach from the club.

Former Wales international Nathan Blake suggested late last month that transfer rumors and a place on the bench had affected Vipotnik’s focus, valuing the striker between £25 million and £30 million. Matos acknowledged that ongoing transfer talk can unsettle players, adding that potential exits could not be entirely ruled out while transfer windows remain open in other regions, such as Saudi Arabia.

Upcoming Fixtures

Swansea travel to face Southampton on Tuesday in their third match within seven days. With forward Ross Stewart sidelined due to injury against his former club, Matos declined to confirm whether Vipotnik would return to the starting line-up, stating the coaching staff must assess what is best for the team performance.

Background

The EFL Championship is the second tier of English professional football. Zan Vipotnik joined Swansea City prior to the 2025-26 season, finishing as the division’s leading scorer despite Swansea missing out on the promotion play-offs. Swansea’s defensive record of one goal conceded in five matches is currently the lowest across all four divisions of the English Football League.