BRENDAN Rodgers has admitted to a feeling of frustration over Swansea City's failure to sign Ryan Bennett on deadline day.

Rodgers thought Swansea were close to securing a deal worth an initial £3 million for the centre-back only for the club's board of directors to pull the plug on the transfer as Bennett drove to Wales.

Swansea's manager saw Bennett as a long-term option in central defence, while the 21-year-old would also have offered cover for the remainder of this season.

But though Rodgers recommended that Swansea should push through the transfer, Huw Jenkins and Co ultimately decided against it.

"I am disappointed," Rodgers admitted.

"Putting together our squad is like piecing together a jigsaw. We know the type of players we want and there's not that many around who have the criteria we want.

"They have to be able to play, and obviously they have to fit the bill financially.

"Ryan Bennett was someone I felt would be good value for the club because he is a terrific player who I see being a big talent in the future.

"But all I can do is put forward the players to the board.

"I have to respect that they will make the final decision because they will be here long after I am gone.

"We have watched Ryan a number of times over a number of months, but they are well within their rights if they feel the deal is too rich, and it's history now."

The deal for Bennett may eventually have been worth £4.5 million, though his value would have soared had he triggered the add-ons in the proposed transfer.

And while Swansea were prepared to loan him back to Peterborough for the rest of the season, they would have insisted on a 24-hour recall clause in case injuries struck at the Liberty.

As it is, Rodgers will have to rely on those players already on the books at Swansea — and keep his fingers crossed for no serious fitness problems in defence.

The fact that Bennett ended up going to Norwich, another club promoted to the Premier League last summer, rubbed salt in Rodgers's wounds.

The Canaries are not one of the top-flight's mega-rich clubs, yet they found a way to pay for Bennett — just as they did with Rodgers target Daniel Ayala last summer.

"It's not the first time (Swansea have lost out on a player to Norwich)," added the Swansea manager.

"I understand where the board are coming from, although that does not mean I agree.

"I have to respect them and the people at the club, and it's history now. Norwich have managed to stump up the cash, they have signed the player and good luck to them.

"I won't dwell on it. I make my point on why I think we should have done it and then I move on."

Rodgers is convinced Swansea would eventually have made a profit on Bennett, and feels the club should be attempting to recruit promising players whose value will grow at the Liberty.

He believes Steven Caulker's value will rocket from around £1 million to something like £8 million during his season-long stay in SA1 — but Swansea won't gain anything from that jump.

"We want these players to belong to our club," Rodgers pointed out.

The Northern Irishman also suggests that the Bennett near-miss highlights how well Swansea have done to claim a place in mid-table this season.

"I think it shows the monumental achievements the players have produced," he said.