Rovers confident O'Driscoll will resist lure of Swans

The Swans need a replacement for Paolo Sousa, who quit to join Leicester City this week, and O'Driscoll is high on the wanted list drawn up by chairman Huw Jenkins.

Sheffield United coach Gary Speed and former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate are also in the running but Ryan insists there is no chance of O'Driscoll heading to the Liberty Stadium.

"There has been no approach from Swansea but why would he want to go there?" he said.

"Sean is bound to be linked with other jobs because he is the best manager in the Championship – but he is building something special here and I don't think he would want to walk away from it at this moment in time.

"I wouldn't have a problem if it was a Premier League club – but I don't think he will move to another Championship club."

O'Driscoll was interviewed for the Burnley job last season but lost out to Brian Laws after Rovers demanded 1m in compensation.

Jenkins concedes that Swansea would also struggle to meet such a compensation demand but has not yet ruled out a move.

"Sean O'Driscoll has done a reasonable job at Doncaster with the budget he's had," said Jenkins. "There have been a couple of approaches for him, so we've heard, from other clubs and they seem to have stalled with the level of compensation.

"Perhaps in a lot of cases he's out of everybody's touch with the level of compensation that's needed to pay – so whether he'll be on our list we'll have to wait and see."

O'Driscoll has signed midfielder Simon Gillett on a two-year deal from Southampton.

Gillett, 24, spent two months on loan with Rovers last season when captain Brian Stock was sidelined with a back injury.

O'Driscoll has also lodged his interest in signing Republic of Ireland striker Andy Keogh on loan from Premier League Wolves.

Keogh, who started his career at Leeds United, is a former strike partner of Rovers' new 1.15m signing Billy Sharp.

"To put Andy and Billy together again is something to consider," said O'Driscoll.

O'Driscoll is also monitoring the availablity of Nottingham Forest striker Joe Garner, who is also wanted by Huddersfield Town.

Former Town loanee Danny Drinkwater has joined Cardiff City on a season-long loan from Manchester United.

Sheffield United assistant manager Sam Ellis is staying at Bramall Lane after Stoke City appointed Dave Kemp as assistant to manager Tony Pulis.

Leeds have come to the rescue of troubled Leeds Ladies.

The club was threatened with closure this summer after former partners Leeds Met University withdrew their financial backing.

But Leeds, who severed ties with women's football four years ago, will once again oversee the running of the club.