Dickov is confident of keeping short-term loanees

Right-back Reece Wabara is due back at parent club Manchester City following tomorrow’s Championship encounter with Bournemouth.

Richie Wellens, meanwhile, was reported this week to be ready to end his short-term contract early to secure a deal with another club before the transfer window shuts on Monday at 11pm.

Both players have been integral as Doncaster earned four points from their opening three games and raced into a 3-1 lead at Charlton last Saturday before that game was abandoned.

Dickov said: “With Reece, I had a conversation with Brian Marwood at Manchester City about hopefully extending his deal. Brian is getting back to me but the initial conversation was positive.

“With Richie, we’re talking to him and, hopefully, we’ll get something sorted out.”

Wellens joined in the summer after leaving Leicester City by mutual consent.

On whether the issue with extending Wellens’s second spell at Doncaster was a financial one, Dickov added: “All contracts are financial, then there’s other clubs being interested, so there are lots of factors to go into it.

“What I will say is the club’s doing everything it can to keep Richie and Richie wants to stay.

“I’m confident that he’ll be here.

“Richie has been top class, he’s a top footballer. He keeps the ball, and one thing we’re big on here is stats, ie with and without the ball, and his completion rate is right up there, not just for our team but within the division as well.

“Reece gives us a lot of energy. I thought he looked a little bit jaded on Tuesday night, but that’s purely because of the lack of games he’s had in pre-season.”

Coventry boss Steven Pressley says the club have rejected an approach from Sheffield United for Callum Wilson.

The 21-year-old striker, who came through the Sky Blues’ youth ranks, has scored five goals in as many games this season.

Pressley said that he is not expecting to lose any of his young players before Monday’s deadline.

United have been successful in their pursuit of Oldham striker Jose Baxter.

The 21-year-old has been signed for a six-figure fee.

The former Everton trainee was Oldham’s top scorer last season with 15 goals.

Oldham manager Lee Johnson had conceded earlier in the day that it was “50-50” whether the striker would remain at Boundary Park past Monday’s deadline.