Wales' Roberts hopes to play for Swansea again

Nations League: Turkey v Wales

Venue: Kadir Has Stadium, Kayseri Date: Saturday, 16 November Kick-off: 17:00 GMT

Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru; live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

Wales defender Connor Roberts wants to rejoin Swansea City before his playing days come to an end.

Roberts played against Swansea for Burnley last weekend, helping the Clarets to a 1-0 win over his boyhood club.

The 29-year-old left the Swans for Turf Moor in 2021, signing a four-year deal which expires at the end of this season.

While his job for the moment is to try to help Burnley win promotion back to the Premier League, Roberts hopes he will play for Swansea again at some point down the line.

"It was strange [facing Swansea]," Roberts told BBC Wales Sport's Feast of Football.

"It's always been strange. But it's the environment we are in.

"Hopefully one day I can go back to Swansea and I can be on their team for once. There will hopefully be good memories when I do go back and play for them again.

"But at the moment I am a Burnley player and I want to win every game and do my best for the Burnley fans and everyone associated with that club."

Roberts played 132 first-team games for Swansea, scoring 11 goals, having come through the club's academy.

He made his debut in the latter days of Swansea's spell in the Premier League before truly establishing himself following relegation in 2018.

Roberts moved to Burnley – who were then in the top flight – after Swansea were beaten by Brentford in the 2021 Championship play-off final.

Last Sunday's win over Swansea saw the right-back make his 100th appearance for the Clarets.

Having spent the second half of 2023-24 on loan at Leeds United, Roberts has featured on 12 occasions for Burnley so far this season, helping Scott Parker's team to fourth place in the Championship.

They are back in action at Bristol City on 23 November, but Roberts' immediate focus is on Wales' Nations League games in Turkey this Saturday and at home to Iceland next Tuesday.

Having worked with Craig Bellamy at Burnley – where the former Wales forward was assistant to former boss Vincent Kompany – Roberts has not been surprised by the positive signs during the early stages of the Wales head coach's reign.

"It's been fantastic," he said. "We have had a good start. We have areas where we have been fantastic and areas where we can still improve.

"We want to keep pushing to be an unbelievable team, not just a good one. We have two tough games coming up now but they are games we are all excited for."

Watch Connor Roberts on Feast of Football on BBC One Wales on Friday, 15 November at 22:40 GMT and later on demand.