Jones given green light for Swansea talks

Wigan Athletic assistant manager Graeme Jones has been given permission to talk to Swansea City, Latics chairman Dave Whelan has confirmed.

The Swans are beginning the hunt for a new manager after agreeing a compensation deal with Liverpool to allow Brendan Rodgers and backroom staff members Colin Pascoe, Chris Davies and Glen Driscoll to move to Anfield.

Rodgers is expected to be officially unveiled as Liverpool manager at a press conference tomorrow morning and Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has made it clear that the club will move quickly to find the Northern Irishman's successor.

And Latics number two Jones, who worked with Roberto Martinez at the Liberty Stadium between 2007 and 2009 before following the Spaniard to Wigan, appears to be in pole position after being granted permission to speak to Swansea.

Whelan told Sky Sports News: "I had half a dozen phone calls saying Swansea were wanting permission to talk to Graeme and I said I really don't know because our chief executive [Jonathan Jackson] was in a Premier League meeting.

"But he rang me at 2.30 (local time) and said that was the case and we gave them permission immediately. Roberto doesn't believe in holding people back. It's a free country, but if he goes we'll miss him immensely.

"He's ambitious, has played for us and is a football man through and through. He's worked with Roberto for a few years, but I think he's up for the challenge and is a very good lad. Roberto would like him to stay - they've been a great partnership for quite a while and the first thing Roberto said was he'd miss him immensely.

He's ambitious, has played for us and is a football man through and through.  

Dave Whelan on Graeme Jones

"But you can't stop progress and it's unfair to say 'you can't take that job, you're under contract'. It's not fair."

Jones, 42, was previously approached by the Swans before they appointed Rodgers in 2010 in the wake of Paolo Sousa's departure. The former striker, who has only previously worked as an assistant manager, was a popular figure during his previous spell in south Wales.

And he would fit the club's desire to appoint someone willing to continue the attractive passing style that has served Swansea well, having helped Martinez, who also held talks over the Liverpool job, implement that approach. But should Jones succeed Rodgers he will have a tough act to follow after the 39-year-old guided Swansea to promotion at the first attempt and followed that up with an 11th-place Premier League finish.

Confirming that a compensation deal had been agreed with Liverpool, a Swansea statement said: "We can today confirm that a compensation package with Liverpool has been agreed for manager Brendan Rodgers and three members of his backroom staff.

"Both clubs have been in discussions to sort suitable compensation for Brendan along with assistant manager Colin Pascoe, performance analyst Chris Davies and head of sports science and medicine Glen Driscoll. The Swans have agreed to allow the backroom trio to join Brendan following discussions between himself and chairman Huw Jenkins."