Football Insider have reported that the Robins want to sign the 24-year-old, with a place in Andoni Iraola’s Premier League squad looking unlikely and the Cherries willing to let him move on in search of regular first-team football.
The same report claims that Swindon have moved quickly to discuss terms with Bournemouth, as they are hoping to beat off a number of EFL clubs in the race to sign the midfielder on loan for the coming season.
Kilkenny has featured sparingly for the Cherries since his first-team debut in 2019, while he has had three tough loan spells at Stoke City, Charlton Athletic and Fleetwood Town respectively in the last two seasons, and so is now looking for his next challenge in the fourth-tier.
After breaking through into Bournemouth’s first-team squad as a highly-regarded 19-year-old in 2019, many would have expected Kilkenny to kick on and become a regular feature at the Vitality Stadium, but it has not quite gone as planned for him so far.
He made two EFL Cup appearances in his debut campaign with the senior side, while appearing on the bench in the Premier League numerous times, and then went on to feature in just four games in all competitions in 2020/21, despite the Cherries being back in the Championship after relegation.
His first successful campaign came in 2021/22, as he made 18 appearances in all competitions, with 13 starts in the Championship as Bournemouth won promotion back to the top-flight under Scott Parker, and he became an increasingly important player for the club.
Kilkenny was not trusted to make the step-up to the Premier League though, and joined Championship side Stoke City on loan for the season in July, but failed to make an impact in the Potteries and played four times before suffering a knee injury that kept him out of action for three months, as he was soon recalled in January to join Charlton Athletic for the second-half of the campaign.
The Republic of Ireland youth international struggled for game-time again with the Addicks though, and made just eight appearances in the third tier before returning to Bournemouth last summer.
He stayed with Iraola’s side for the first six months of last season, but was restricted to only making the bench in the Premier League before he joined Fleetwood in the January window and found his feet in League One with a goal and two assists in 16 appearances, but was unable to help the Cods avoid relegation to the fourth tier.
While his career has maybe not panned out as he would have liked so far, it is clear that Kilkenny is a talented player that just needs to find some form with a team where he is going to play week-in, week-out and be relied on to put in big performances, rather than being a bit-part.
The opportunity for Swindon to sign him represents a potential coup for Mark Kennedy’s side, as the 24-year-old has never played in the fourth-tier, and could definitely get a League One move this week based off his performances for Fleetwood last season.
It seems like no coincidence that Kennedy is a former Republic of Ireland international, and he may think that the fact that Kilkenny is his compatriot will help in getting him to play some of his best football at the County Ground.
Swindon have endured a tough start to the 2024/25 campaign so far, with two draws and two losses in four outings in both league and cup meaning Kennedy will be looking to add some new faces to his squad before the deadline in the hope that his side can pull themselves up the table and improve on a 19th-placed finish last season.
According to play Insider, the 24-year-old is wanted by the Robins, who are willing to let him go in quest of regular first-team play, while Andoni Iraola’s Premier League squad appears unlikely to include him.
According to the same source, Swindon has reportedly moved swiftly to discuss terms with Bournemouth in an attempt to outbid several EFL teams for the right to sign the midfield player on loan for the upcoming campaign.
After making his first-team debut for the Cherries in 2019, Kilkenny has made only sporadic appearances for the squad. Over the past two seasons, he has experienced three difficult loan stints at Stoke City, Charlton Athletic, and Fleetwood Town, respectively. Now, he is searching for his next challenge in the fourth division.
Kilkenny has not exactly gone as predicted thus far. Many had anticipated that, as a highly regarded 19-year-old in 2019, he would explode into the first team at Bournemouth and become a regular fixture at the Vitality Stadium. However, that was not the case.
In his first season with the senior team, he played in two EFL Cups and was a regular substitute in the Premier League. In 2020–21, he played in just four games across all competitions, even though the Cherries had returned to the Championship following their relegation.
Under Scott Parker, Bournemouth gained promotion back to the top division in 2021–2022, and he made 18 appearances in all competitions, including 13 starts in the Championship. This was his first successful season, and he grew in importance for the team.
Kilkenny was not trusted to play in the Premier League, so he went on loan to Championship team Stoke City in July. However, he did not have much of an impact there, playing just four games before suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for three months. In January, he was called up to rejoin Charlton Athletic for the remainder of the season.
However, the young Ireland international struggled to get into the starting lineup for the Addicks once more and only made eight appearances in the third division before leaving to rejoin Bournemouth in the summer.
After spending the first half of the previous season with Iraola’s team, he was only able to see action on the bench in the Premier League. In the January transfer window, he joined Fleetwood, where he made 16 appearances and scored one goal and two assists to establish himself in League One. However, he was unable to prevent the Cods from being relegated to the fourth division.
Kilkenny is undoubtedly a good player who simply has to find some form with a squad where he will play every week and be counted on to put in big performances, rather than being a bit part. His career may not have gone as he would have desired thus far.
The 24-year-old has never played in the fourth division, so Swindon’s chance to sign him may be a coup for Mark Kennedy’s team. Based on his Fleetwood season-ending displays, he could also make a League One switch this week.
Kennedy’s past international experience with the Republic of Ireland seems hardly coincidental, and he might believe that playing against his fellow countryman Kilkenny will inspire him to produce some of his greatest work at the County Ground.
With two draws and two losses in their first four league and cup games of the 2024–25 season, Swindon has had a difficult start. Kennedy will be looking to bolster his squad before the deadline in the hopes that his team can move up the table and improve on a 19th-place finish from the previous campaign.
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