Swansea City defender and captain Ashley Williams joins Everton

10th August

Swansea City can confirm captain Ashley Williams has joined Everton for an undisclosed fee.
Williams, who turns 32 later this month, has undergone a successful medical on Merseyside and will now be available for Everton's opening Premier League fixture against Tottenham at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The centre-back's departure ends an eight-year association with the Swans, having made more than 350 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals during a hugely successful time at the Liberty.
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins said: "We are disappointed to lose Ashley. It is definitely not something we wanted to happen.
"But having turned down Everton's initial offer, Ashley expressed his desire for a new challenge at this time of his career.
"Taking into account the excellent service Ashley has given this football club over the last eight years, including as club captain, we reluctantly agreed to his request to join Everton after they made an improved offer.
"It goes without saying that we wish him the very best with his new challenge and thank him for his services."

Williams said: "I've had eight great years at Swansea and, for me, the new challenge was something I felt I needed.
"Obviously, Swansea was very memorable for me and I would like to thank every single fan, my former and current team-mates and all of the Swansea family for their unconditional support and friendship.
"I wish everyone at Swansea all the best for the future and they will always hold a special place in my heart."
Since joining the club initially on loan from Stockport County in March 2008 before agreeing a £400,000 move, Williams has enjoyed two promotions with the Swans along with captaining the team to Capital One Cup success in 2013 and featuring in the resulting Europa League campaign.
On a personal level, he was crowned the Welsh Player of the Year and Club Player of the Year for 2009, while he was named in the PFA Championship team of the year on two occasions. Later, he would be named in 'The Football Manager Team of the Decade'.
On the international stage, Williams won all but one of his 65 caps for Wales while at the Liberty.
Named captain of his country in 2012, Williams led his country to their first major tournament in 58 years when they reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

Everyone at Swansea City would like to thank Ashley for his tremendous service to the club, and wish him well for the rest of his career.




FACTFILE: Ashley Williams' Swansea City career

Swansea City broke their transfer record when they signed Ashley Williams.
It was money very well spent.
Williams arrived from Stockport County for all of £400,000 - a sum which eclipsed the £340,000 the Swans had paid Liverpool for Colin Irwin in 1981.
As he departs a little over eight years later, Williams has done enough to ensure he will be remembered as one of the finest ever Swans.
And the decision to fork out what was then a significant amount of money to bring him to the Liberty Stadium has proved to be one of the shrewdest transfer-market moves the club has ever made.
Williams, after all, has enjoyed more success in Swans colours than anyone might have expected when he arrived at a club who were then on the way to promotion from League One.



Williams played only a small role in ensuring Roberto Martinez's got over the line in that particular race, featuring in just three games at the back-end of the 2007-08 title-winning campaign.
But from that point on, the central defender established himself as a central figure.
Williams played under seven Swans bosses in all - Martinez, Paulo Sousa, Brendan Rodgers, Michael Laudrup, Garry Monk, Alan Curtis and Francesco Guidolin.
It says much about his levels of consistency that he was a regular under every one of them.
Williams's first three full seasons as a Swan were in the Championship, where he quickly established himself as one of the top defenders in the division.
He was twice named in the PFA team of the season in the second tier, winning admirers for his quality, appetite and capacity to play game after game.
And having helped the Swans claim a place in the top flight in 2011, Williams had no problem making the step up to the highest level.
In fact, he quickly proved that he could be just as influential in the Premier League as he had been in the division below.



He scored the Swans' first away goal following promotion - at Chelsea in September 2011 - although Williams's strengths were at the other end of the field, while his leadership qualities would see him succeed Monk as club captain.
Since the Swans beat Reading in the play-off final, no player at any club - goalkeepers included - has played more top-flight football than Williams.
And his team have enjoyed plenty of success along the way.
Williams has played a significant role in ensuring the Swans have stayed in the top division for five seasons when many felt they would not survive one.
He has worn the armband in some of the most notable league games in the history of the club, and led the Swans out at Wembley for their unforgettable Capital One Cup triumph over Bradford City.
When asked to assess Williams's contribution to the cause over the last eight years, Curtis suggests he should be remembered as one of the greatest Swans of all.
And he should know.


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