“A big club like Swansea City” – Ogbene’s come and get me plea?

It reads very much like a “come and get me plea” but Rotherham United’s Chiedozie Ogbene is a target for the Swans this summer and it looks like he is keen to make the move to SA1.

The Swans were first linked with a move for the Irish player last week with reports saying that Russell Martin was keen to bring him to the Swans although Rotherham triggered a 12 month option in his contract which would have increased the cost to the Swans to complete the move.

Ogbene admits that he is happy at Rotherham but also told the Irish Examiner that he wants to reach the next level and that his current employers are aware of his footballing ambitions.

Ogbene adds that he will not be making any decision on his future until after Ireland’s upcoming UEFA National league fixtures.  The Swans are also linked with a move for recruitment guru Rob Scott who engineered the capture of Ogbene for both Brentford and Rotherham so the links become stronger, something which is not lost on the player.

“My future is unknown but right now I am a Rotherham United player,” said Ogbene.

“I am quite happy at Rotherham but they know I am quite ambitious and aware of me wanting to reach the next level.

“They have said that if someone gives me the opportunity to operate at the level I want to, they won’t stand in the way.

“Every player wants to be at a stable and established club – especially a big one like Swansea City.

“At this stage of my career, it’s really important to be playing games and at the highest level I can get to.”

Julian Winter admitted last week that the position of right wing-back was one that the Swans were keen to fill this summer and with Russell Martin saying that we are some way apart on reaching an agreement with Cyrus Christie then this move could make much sense for both us and the player.

Ogbene is clear though in his ambition in that he does not want a move that could set his career backwards “I’m not going to settle to be a bench-warmer somewhere else,” he added.

“I left Brentford chasing game-time. That’s my philosophy and I don’t want to change it now just because it’s a big club.

“If a club were interested, I would sit down with their manager to see if I fit his plans and style of play; discover the platform he’d give me to improve as a man and player.”

Ogbene has won 8 caps for the Republic of Ireland and he has recently headed back to his former school and clubs in Cork as some of his first priorities when relaxing at the end of Rotherham’s promotion winning season.

“My profile has massively improved since playing for Ireland but I don’t want to use that as an excuse not to be called upon,” he said.

“I chose to go into my school and childhood club. I know when I was a kid, I would have wished for my idols and the players I look up to call in.

“You have to use these great responsibilities. That’s the way my mother’s raised me and this is who I am.”

The move for Ogbene makes sense on so many levels for both the Swans and the player and with him filling one of our key target areas as well as fitting many of our player recruitment critieria this is certainly one we can see happening this summer.