Swindon Town midfielder Ricky Aguiar has joined National League South side Worthing on a season-long loan.

Aguiar was signed from the Sussex club back in 2021 and has since made 32 appearances for Swindon, scoring two goals and providing one assist. Both of Aguiar’s goals came in a 5-0 hammering of Walsall at the County Ground.

Off the back of promising form, the 22-year-old attacking midfielder penned a new three-year contract last summer and was expected to continue his development in Wiltshire.

But after being used sparingly throughout 2022/23 – a season which featured a short loan spell with Torquay United in the National League – Aguiar been deemed surplus to requirements this term too and will hope to rediscover form and fitness at his former club.

Hoping for a similar spell to the one Aguiar enjoyed on loan at Chippenham Town – where he bagged seven goals in 13 games – Town manager Michael Flynn discussed the move following a 2-2 draw with Eastleigh in pre-season on Saturday.

He said: “Ricky needs to go and play football. Sometimes the market tells you where they’re at.

“He was a little bit frustrated at not playing last season, and when you haven’t played for so long, it is quite hard to just go down one league below.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to take two steps back to take three forward.”

Worthing, managed by Adam Hinshellwood, are next in action on Sunday with a pre-season friendly against Isthmian League Premier North Division winners, Hashtag United.

The Mackerel Men begin their National League South campaign at home to Tonbridge on Saturday, August 5 before face Torquay at Plainmoor seven days later.

In a statement from Town, the club said: “We’d like to take this opportunity to wish Ricky all the best over the coming weeks, and we look forward to monitoring his progress.”