Benda relishing Swansea City opportunity
Steven Benda says the hard work starts now as he eyes first-team football after putting pen to paper on a new contract with Swansea City.
The 20-year-old German keeper had a year remaining on his previous deal, but his new terms extend his stay at the Liberty Stadium until June 2022.
Benda arrived in SA1 from 1860 Munich in August 2017, getting a taste of silverware in his first season by helping the under-19s retain the FAW Youth Cup via a penalty shoot-out victory over Cardiff in May 2018.
The highly-rated youngster also helped the under-23s reach the final of the Premier League Cup that same season, and last term was included in the first-team matchday squad on 14 occasions.
“I am really happy to have extended my contract,” he said.
“I have been working hard with the development team the last few seasons. The club have shown a lot of faith in me to give me an extension and I hope to repay them.
“I had to work hard to get myself game time with the under-23s. There was a lot of waiting for my first minutes when I first arrived, but that just made me more hungry to take my chance.
“I loved being able to help the under-19s lift the FAW Youth Cup and the under-23s to the final of Premier League Cup in 2017-18, and I hope I can help the club to have more opportunities like that.”
Last term Benda featured 19 times for the under-23s across all competitions and also scooped the club's Young Player of the Year Award.
But he is keen to kick on from there, and makes no secret of his ambition and desire to play first team football for the Swans, although he accepts he still has more to learn as he eyes the challenge ahead.
“Every goalkeeper wants to play for the first team, but I have to be realistic and see how much I have achieved in the last two years,” he added.
“It was a good season for me and hopefully I can get another chance to prove myself this coming season.
“I think I have improved a lot since I came to Swansea. I just need to keep doing what I am doing then hopefully I will get a chance.”
