Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has revealed that the reason club-captain Ashley Williams left the club to join Everton was due to a transfer request handed in by the Welsh international.





The 31-year-old leaves Swansea after 352 appearances of the South-Wales coast, joining Ronald Koeman's Everton for around £11m.

Jenkins, who had rebuffed a £10m bid from Everton last week, insisted he was very disappointed to let Williams go, while admitting that the player asked to leave.





​ “We are disappointed to lose Ashley. It is definitely not something we wanted to happen,” Jenkins told Swansea's club website, as quoted in ​Wales Online .





“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.”





Swansea City's chairman wasn't the only one to praise Williams on his departure, a ssistant coach Alan Curtis described the 31-year-old as 'the best defender we [Swansea] have ever had.'





“Ash is one of the best defenders we have ever had, if not the best." Curtis told Wales Online.





“People always talk about legend status – sometimes it seems as though you can become a legend in six months these days but I think that has to come over a period of time.





“You have to do it over a sustained period to become what I would regard as a true legend – and I think Ash has fulfilled all the criteria as far as legend status goes.

“There is no doubt about it - he is one of the best players who has ever played for this club.





“Ash has been part of the fabric of the club for seven or eight years and he has giv en fantastic service to the club.





“His consistency and the number of games he played were very impressive. He has hardly missed a game since he has been with us.





“We wish Ash all the best in his new challenge, but players have left in the past and we have continued to progress as a club. I am sure we will do that again now.”



