Sil Swinkels

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Sil Swinkels
Personal information
Full name Sil Laurentius Swinkels[1]
Date of birth (2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Exeter City
(on loan from Aston Villa)
Number 16
Youth career
RKSV Rhode
Helmond Sport
Brabant United
2017–2020 Vitesse Arnhem
2020–2021 Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Aston Villa 0 (0)
2025 → Bristol Rovers (loan) 14 (2)
2025– → Exeter City (loan) 4 (0)
International career
2019–2020 Netherlands U15 2 (0)
2021–2022 Netherlands U18 4 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:17, August 20, 2025 (UTC)

Sil Swinkels (born 6 January 2004) is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a centre-back or left-back for Exeter City, on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa. Swinkels is a product of the Aston Villa and Vitesse Arnhem academies and has played for the Netherlands internationally at youth levels up to under-18. Swinkels played on loan for EFL League One side Bristol Rovers in 2025, making his senior league debut and appearing fourteen times.

Early life

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Swinkels was born in Sint-Oedenrode in the south of the Netherlands in 2004.[3]

Club career

[edit]

Youth career

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Having played youth football for Dutch sides RKSV Rhode, Helmond Sport, Brabant United and Vitesse Arnhem, he joined Aston Villa's academy in summer 2020.[3][4]

Swinkels made an unexpected first team debut for Aston Villa when, due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Villa were forced to play an inexperienced squad in an FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on 8 January 2021.[5]

On 24 May 2021, Swinkels was part of the Aston Villa U18s team that won the FA Youth Cup, beating Liverpool U18s 2–1 in the final.[6] On 10 August 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Aston Villa.[7]

In March 2023, Swinkels suffered a torn ACL in a Premier League 2 match against Southampton B which he confirmed would result in an extended period on the sidelines.[8] Swinkels eventually returned to football on 8 April 2024, in a 4–0 defeat for Villa U21s against Chelsea U21s.[9] After coming back from injury and playing a part in Aston Villa U21s reaching the Premier League 2 play-offs and winning the Birmingham Senior Cup, on 17 May 2024, Swinkels signed a contract extension with Aston Villa.[10]

Senior career

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On 24 September 2024, Swinkels made his first appearance for the senior Aston Villa team for the first time since 2021 during a 2–1 away victory against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup.[11] Swinkels was a regular substitute option for Villa in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League and 2024-25 Premier League over the first half of the season but did not appear.[12]

On 28 November 2024, Swinkels signed another contract extension with Aston Villa.[13]

On 3 February 2025, Swinkels signed for EFL League One club Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[14] Swinkels made his English Football League debut on 11 February 2025, scoring a 91st minute equaliser in a match against Stockport County.[15]

On 17 July 2025, Swinkels returned to League One, joining Exeter City on a season-long loan deal.[16]

International career

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Swinkels played for Netherlands at the under-15 level. On 6 September 2021, Swinkels made his debut for Netherlands U18 in a 5–0 friendly victory over Italy.[17] He scored his first goal at youth international level for Netherlands U18s, on 28 March 2022, in a 4–1 away victory over Germany.[18]

Career statistics

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Club

[edit]
As of match played 20 August 2025
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Aston Villa 2020–21[19] Premier League 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2021–22[20] 0 0 0 0 0 0 4[a] 0 4 0
2022–23[21] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023–24[22] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024–25[23] 0 0 0 0 1 0 2[a] 0 3 0
2025–26[24] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 0 8 0
Bristol Rovers (loan) 2024–25[23] League One 14 2 – – 0 0 14 2
Exeter City (loan) 2025–26[24] League One 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career total 16 2 1 0 1 0 6 0 24 2
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

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Aston Villa U18s

Aston Villa U21s

References

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  1. ^ "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League Website. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Sil Swinkels". www.avfc.co.uk. Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Droog, Julian (25 July 2020). "Talentvolle verdediger Sil Swinkels (16) uit Sint-Oedenrode naar Aston Villa". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  4. ^ Husband, Ben (3 August 2020). "Aston Villa complete deal for highly-rated academy prospect". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Aston Villa defender Sil Swinkels full of pride after debut in Liverpool defeat". OneFootball. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b Preece, Ashley (24 May 2021). "Aston Villa vs Liverpool FA Youth Cup final LIVE updates". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Aston Villa Academy trio sign pro deals". Aston Villa Football Club. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ^ Preece, Ashley (22 March 2023). "Aston Villa youngster Sil Swinkels confirms devastating injury". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  9. ^ "U21s: Aston Villa 0-4 Chelsea". Aston Villa Football Club. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Sil Swinkels signs new contract". Aston Villa Football Club. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Aston Villa". Aston Villa Football Club. 24 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Matches - Sil Swinkels - Results and fixtures - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  13. ^ Townley, John (28 November 2024). "Aston Villa confirm new contract for defender". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Sil Swinkels joins Bristol Rovers on loan". Aston Villa Football Club. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Swinkels heads home to earn late draw against Stockport". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Sil Swinkels is a Grecian!". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Netherlands U18 vs. Italy U18 - 6 September 2021 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  18. ^ "GER 1-4 NET | Germany - Netherlands". www.flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  21. ^ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Games played by Sil Swinkels in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  25. ^ "BSC: Aston Villa 9-0 Racing Club Warwick". Aston Villa Football Club. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.