Swindon Town boss Ritchie Wellens has revealed he's interested in a permanent move for loan star Kyle Bennett, currently contracted to Bristol Rovers.

He joined the Robins in the January window and has made 11 appearances so far as they've made a late surge towards the top seven in League Two.

They're currently tenth in the table, five points behind Exeter which might be a bridge too far at this stage, but Wellens is already planning for next season, his first full campaign in charge of the club.

One of the key issues will be the future of the 28-year-old, someone he's clearly a huge fan of.

“I’ve known Kyle for a long time, I know what a good footballer he is," he told the Swindon Advertiser.

“He wanted to get that spark going, because sometimes players don’t quite fit into a certain team system. Kyle wants to get on the ball and make things happen. I wanted to get his love of football back, and I think I’ve done that."

It's been evident Bennett has been enjoying himself with a string of dominant and impressive displays, something that Wellens feels makes him a viable summer target.

“We’ll revisit him in the summer and see if we can keep him because I think everyone will agree that he has been a great addition to the squad.”

The Telford-born midfielder began his career with Wolves, but made his name with spells at Doncaster Rovers and Portsmouth.

The Verdict

This would be a significant capture for Wellens.

Bennett is a player very much like Wellens was, an all-action midfielder with a passion and lust for the game.

They know each other through their shared time at Doncaster and if he does join permanently, he'll become one of the manager's key generals on the field.