Nottingham Forest star open to extending Swansea City stay but stumbling block remains

Lewis O’Brien is open to extending his stay at Swansea City – provided the club can put a suitable approach together this summer.

The midfielder has had a hugely positive impact since arriving on loan from Nottingham Forest, having impressed in the 12 games he’s featured in so far. He’s also understood to have also hugely enjoyed his stint in south Wales, and would potentially be open to staying in SA1 should the opportunity present itself.

Sources claim the midfielder has particularly enjoyed his time working with Alan Sheehan, whom he believes has been a key driver in his strong run of recent form. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here.

Sheehan’s own future remains uncertain at the time of writing, with the interim boss still unsure whether he will still be in the dugout beyond the end of the season.

The Irishman is a serious contender to take the reins on a permanent basis, having previously been asked to see out the season in the wake of Luke Williams’ sacking.

But Swansea are set to continue assessing their options ahead of the summer.

Director of football Richard Montague has already held initial conversations with candidates both at home and abroad, but a decision doesn’t appear to have been made.

Whether Sheehan’s future will have any impact on potential negotiations with O’Brien’s camp isn’t yet clear, but WalesOnline understands discussions with O’Brien and his representatives are yet to take place.

There had previously been suggestions that the finances involved would likely scupper any hope of keeping O’Brien, and there’s little indication at this stage that the Swans have changed their assessment of the situation.

O’Brien has unsurprisingly attracted plenty of attention from elsewhere in recent weeks, but Swansea would potentially be well placed to fend off any competition were they to show a serious interest in keeping the former LAFC star.