Ricardo Santos (footballer, Born 1995)

Ricardo Alexandre Almeida Santos (born 18 June 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Bolton Wanderers. He will join Swansea City on 1 July 2025. Born in Portugal, he represents the Cape Verde national team.

Career

Santos was a youth team player at Dagenham & Redbridge, making one appearance in the matchday squad, before he was released and signed by Thurrock manager Mark Stimson, following a spell at Dover Athletic where he made no appearances. He impressed for the Isthmian League club, making 24 appearances, and was signed by Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson on a three-and-a-half-year contract in February 2014. Peterborough paid £8000 for him. He made his League One debut on 3 May in a 0–0 draw with Port Vale at London Road. Santos scored his first goal for the club when he scored a late winner against Doncaster Rovers on 19 March 2016.

On 1 January 2017, Santos joined Barnet for a fee of £100,000. He made his debut on the following day in a 1–0 win over Plymouth Argyle. He left the club at the end of the 2019–20 season having spent two and a half seasons with the Bees, making 94 appearances, scoring six goals.

Bolton Wanderers

Santos signed for Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal on 3 August 2020. His debut came on 5 September in Bolton's first match of the season, a 2–1 home defeat against Bradford in the first round of the EFL Cup. On 1 March 2021, Santos signed a new contract with Bolton until 2023. He was named as EFL League Two Player of the Month for February 2021. On 21 May 2021, following the team's direct promotion to the EFL League One, he was announced to have been voted as Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Year for the 2020–21 season.Bolton Wanderers: "Ricardo Almeida Santos Named As Bolton Wanderers' 2020/21 Player Of The Year"
/ref> Plus, he was named in the league's Team of the Year, together with his team-mate Eoin Doyle.

On 22 October 2021, following the sudden departure of Antoni Sarcevic to Stockport County, Santos was appointed by manager Ian Evatt as Bolton's new captain. He was named in the Team of the Year for the second consecutive year, this time in League One, for the 2021–22 season.The PFA: "PFA League One Team of the Year"
/ref> On 26 May 2022, Santos signed a new three-year deal with Bolton Wanderers which would keep him at the club until 2025.

On 11 February 2023, Santos scored his first goals for Bolton with a brace in a 5–0 win at his former team Peterborough United, Bolton's 5000th league game. On 2 April, he started in the 2023 EFL Trophy final which Bolton won 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle. He was named in both the EFL and PFA Teams of the Season for the 2022–23 season, the third season in a row he had been named in Teams of the Year. A year later, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year again, his fourth consecutive appearance.

On 21 September 2024, Bolton manager Ian Evatt announced that Santos would be replaced as captain by George Thomason for the 2024–25 season. On 7 May 2025, the club confirmed that Santos would leave at the end of his contract, having made 207 appearances and scored six goals in all competitions for them.

Swansea City

On 6 June 2025, Santos agreed to join Championship side Swansea City on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract set to be effective from 1 July.

International career

Born in Portugal, Santos is of Cape Verdean descent.

In May 2025, he accepted a call-up to the Cape Verde national team for a set of friendlies against Malaysia and Georgia. He subsequently made his debut for the ''Tubarões Azuis'' on 3 June, playing 90 minutes in a 3–0 away win over Malaysia.

Career statistics

Honours

Bolton Wanderers
*EFL League Two third-place promotion: 2020–21
*EFL Trophy: 2022–23

Individual
* EFL League Two Player of the Month: February 2021
*PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two,The PFA: "PFA League Two Team of the Year"
/ref> 2021–22 League One, 2022–23 League One, 2023–24 League One
* Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2020–21
* EFL League One Team of the Season: 2022–23

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santos, Ricardo
1995 births
Living people
Footballers from Almada
Portuguese men's footballers
Portuguese sportspeople of Cape Verdean descent
Black Portuguese sportspeople
Men's association football defenders
Men's association football central defenders
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. players
Billericay Town F.C. players
Dover Athletic F.C. players
Thurrock F.C. players
Peterborough United F.C. players
Barnet F.C. players
Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
Isthmian League players
National League (English football) players
English Football League players
Portuguese expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in England
21st-century Portuguese sportsmen