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Tom Coleman

Swansea City transfer news as Ryan Bennett training with new club, Obafemi told 'get your head down' and Ollie Cooper interest revealed

These are your Swansea City headlines on Friday, September 23.

Bennett training with Grimsby

Former Swansea defender Ryan Bennett is training with League Two side Grimsby Town.

Bennett was released by Swansea on the final day of the summer transfer window, with the two parties going their separate ways following a cooling of relations between the centre-back and head coach Russell Martin.

Bennett, who started his career with The Mariners, is now back with his old club in a bid to regain fitness.

READ MORE: Exactly what Swansea City have been up to this week as double injury update given ahead of West Brom

"I spoke to Ryan last week, and I had a chat around him coming in to train with us," said manager Paul Hurst.

"I haven't got an issue with that. I've made it clear sometimes it might be with the first team, sometimes with the youth team. He would like somewhere to train rather than constantly being in the gym.

"Everything I've heard about him, speaking to him, he's a good professional, good career. I'm not saying that's ended., he's still got a desire to play.

"We're happy to accommodate him. Genuinely that's all it is at this moment in time. He's here to train, if anything changes in the future, then I'm sure he'll let me know."

Hurst added he couldn't rule out signing Bennett on a permanent basis.

"I don't think you can," he said. "At the same time, let's be honest, he's just left a Championship club, I think he could probably could have continued at a Championship club. It's the first time he's trained for some time. Understandably he said he found it quick, sharp, but he enjoyed it.

"And that's what I feel we can offer, a place where he will get fit, and it's obviously a decent standard, the lads are training very well still, hopefully they can carry that into games."

Manning on Piroe

Ryan Manning says Joel Piroe's goal count of four so far this season is "mental".

The Dutchman had a slow start to the campaign but has been hitting his straps in recents weeks. He netted in the recent 3-0 win over Hull City when in truth he could have grabbed a hat-trick, having hit the woodwork twice.

Manning believes it is up to him and his team-mates to help lessen the burden on the former PSV striker's shoulders.

"The fact that he only has four goals this season is mental," said Manning. "When he really hits the form he hit last season - which he is capable of - then it’s only going to help us as a group.

"With the way the Championships is, you can put together three or four games on the spin and you can shoot from one end of the table to the other.

"Hopefully, the boys around him can chip in with a few goals, because it’s tough when you’re the only one scoring - which it has been of late."

Obafemi told to 'get over' failed Burnley move

BBC pundit Danny Gabbidon says Michael Obafemi needs to move on from his failed deadline-day move to Burnley and start focusing on shining once again for Swansea.

Obafemi made his return to senior football for the first time since the close of the summer window, which was punctuated by late interest from the Clarets.

Swansea resisted the advances of the Turf Moor outfit, which has seemingly caused some frustration for the Republic of Ireland international, who's return to Martin's first-team plans was put on hold due to the player's "state of mind".

But while understanding of the player's situation, Gabbidon believes the striker now has to start focusing on recapturing some of his best form in a Swans shirt.

"As a player, it's all you can do," he told the Elis James Feast of Football podcast. "There's no point moping and sulking about anything, or not getting your move, because you can't go anywhere until January.

"Get your head down and get back into the good books of the manager and the fans and then hope maybe you get your move in January. You won't get your move if you sulk between now and the January window, and you don't play. Or if you do play you're not performing.

"The only way you're going to get your move as a player is by performing and scoring goals. That's the mindset he has to have now. It's going to be a little bit difficult for him, the next few weeks, because he's got to win back the hearts again of the fans and the manager.

"Now he's got Joel Piroe who's able to play up front. Hence why he's probably started scoring goals again. He was the one that actually got accommodated a little bit for Obafemi when they were both playing in the team, playing slightly deeper. He's capable of doing that job as we know because he's a talented player. But now he's back up top and he's back in goal-scoring form.

"So it's up to Obafemi now to get his head down and try to get himself in the team."

Newport interest in Cooper revealed

Gabbidon has also revealed Newport County were 'desperate' to take Ollie Cooper back on loan this season.

The youngster has enjoyed a superb breakthrough with the Swans over the last few weeks, having spent last term on loan at Rodney Parade.

Speaking on the Elis James Feast of Football podcast, Gabbidon admits he's pleased to see the 22-year-old build on that experience in League Two and make his mark in the Championship under Russell Martin.

"He's outstanding," he said. "I saw quite a bit of him on loan at Newport last season and he was outstanding, not just in terms of what he does on the ball, but his energy, workrate and the defensive side of the game, which with some of the younger players that's the side of the game that lets them down a bit.

"But he was a big, big player for Newport last season and I know the manager there was desperate to get him back on loan for them this season. He was that good for them. But obviously he wasn't able to do that. Swansea were keen to keep him and it's great to see him now get an opportunity in the first team. He's earned his stripes."

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