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Mathew Davies

'We are not in that market' - Russell Martin maps out final month of Swansea City's transfer window

Swansea City head coach Russell Martin says any signings they bring in between now and the end of the transfer window are unlikely to be familiar names.

Swansea have added astutely to their squad this summer, with a good blend of youth and experience arriving in south Wales in Joe Allen, Matty Sorinola, Harry Darling and Nathan Wood. The latter trio made their first-team bows in the 1-1 draw against Rotherham United on Saturday, with Allen now close to making his second debut for the club as his hamstring issue is put to bed.

Outgoings will be important to Martin's squad rebuild, too, but in terms of incomings, the head coach said he wanted to be honest with supporters over the type of player they are able to recruit, with finances dictating the profile for their targets.

READ MORE: Swansea City transfer news Live

"I think Joe will make a big difference, his experience, his professionalism, the way he is on the pitch, his voice," Martin said.

"I thought Jay (Fulton) and Grimesy (Matt Grimes) were brilliant today, so Joe's first challenge is to get in the team. But for sure he'll help us in whatever we do, training, off the pitch, on the pitch. He'll be great when he's fully firing.

"Other than that, we are not in the market for seasoned Championship players who have played two, three hundred games in the Championship. We can't afford that.

"I want to be realistic with people. We are not going to go out and sign a name they are probably really familiar with that they've seen at the Swansea.com Stadium for a long time coming against them. It's not the model, we are not in that market. It will be what it's been since we've come in. It will be young, hungry players. Maybe an experienced one who will help us understand and wants to believe and come and be part of what we are doing.

"But the rest will be what you see on the pitch today and the players who have come in since we've been here. From the group we inherited I think it's Jay and Grimesy, and Naughts (Kyle Naughton). And Lats (Joel Latibeaudiere), who is very young guy who hasn't played a huge amount. It's really exciting for us.

"We just need to keep growing. Build on today. We've built some really strong foundations last season."

Two players who are unlikely to feature for Swansea at present are Ryan Bennett and Nathanael Ogbeta, with both not involved against The Millers at the New York Stadium. Bennett was told last season he would not be part of Martin's plans this term, while WalesOnline understands Ogbeta is likely to leave SA1 this summer.

Martin issued a challenge to the former Shrewsbury man, saying it was up to him to force his way into the first-team reckoning amid strong competition for places.

On Ogbeta, Martin said at the weekend: "(He’s the) same as every guy not in the squad really, we’ve got two left wingbacks in my opinion. Matty Sorinola operates better from the the left, he can operate on the right. Ryan Manning is fantastic, Lats who can play there.

“It's like the same as every other player who is back there. Unfortunately it's football where we have a big squad and you can only have 16 outfield players in the squad on a matchday. And he’s not one of them. There doesn't need to be any more to it than that.

“He knows why he's not in the squad as every other player does. Great kid, great young man, really respectful and professional. So he understands.

“It’s up to him to become part of the squad at some point and show us he can really help us or to assess his situation and see what opportunities lie elsewhere. There’s never this thing about people being frozen out. Ryan Bennett’s not here because we had a chat with him last season. Ryan knows where it stands. He’s not the model of the club, he doesn’t fit, so he’s not here.

“Same as Nat Ogbeta, everyone accepts that. With Nat there's a different thing maybe because we brought him in January. I don’t like doing business late on, especially on deadline day which we did so late. He couldn’t have a medical which is not ideal, he was injured and we’ve not been able to find a place for him since. That is all there is to it."

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