Graham Potter has insisted he wants Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge and Luciano Narsingh to stay at Swansea City – even though all three look surplus to requirements.
None of the experienced trio featured in the squad for Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace, which ended the Swans’ interest in the Carabao Cup at their first tie.
The club would like to get all three off their wage bill and will encourage any interested parties to take any of them before Friday’s loan transfer deadline.
But Potter continues to claim all three players are in his plans and that the only reason none of them played was because he wanted to look at others.
“We looked at tonight’s game as a way to look at guys we don’t know a lot about,” said Potter.
“We already know a lot about those guys. I think there’s different bits of speculation flying around but at the same time when the window closes, everybody that’s here will be part of what we’re doing.
“Then we sort of move forward, but tonight was about seeing what else we could find out about the group. That’s the reason those guys didn’t play.
“I’m happy for them to be here. I’ve said all the time it’s about the guys that want to be here, and they have sort of indicated that.
“So, there’s always speculation and interest that makes you think there’s other opportunities in this window. That happens.
“But they’ve been really professional, and when the window closes, whatever group we have we’ll try and work with and improve.”
Only Dyer has figured, once, as an unused substitute so far this season under Potter, whilst Routledge and Narsingh have not come that close.
Routledge can at least point to a back catalogue of 198 appearances for the Swans over seven years, but Narsingh’s contribution has been negligible.
Since a £4m move from PSV Eindhoven 18 months ago, the Dutch international has managed just eight League starts – or £500,000 per starting selection.
At the age of 27, when he should be entering his prime years, Narsingh finds himself at the back of a long queue at the Liberty Stadium and so far, at least, seemingly unwanted elsewhere.
Five players made their club debuts against Palace and the average age of the squad fielded by Potter was just over 22.
They enjoyed the better of things at the start of both halves, before tiring in each and were eventually beaten by a 70th minute goal for Palace’s Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth.
A substitute in all three of Palace’s Premier League games so far this season, Sorloth has convinced his manager, Roy Hodgson, he can be a capable alternative striking option to Christian Benteke.
“I thought Alexander was very good,” said Hodgson. “He worked very hard, got his goal, and his physical statistics were off the charts.
“He has been making steady improvements and he has worked very hard at his game. He provides us with a good target option as a centre forward, like Christian, and he is a good player for us.
“I’m very happy with the result because in football you have enough bad days. This was a good win against a more than bona fide opponent because Swansea are a good side.”