Jones favourite for Swans post

Wigan assistant manager Graeme Jones has emerged as the surprise favourite to replace Liverpool-bound Brendan Rodgers at Swansea after being granted permission to talk to the south Wales club.

Swansea and Liverpool have agreed a compensation package for Rodgers and backroom staff members Colin Pascoe, Chris Davies and Glen Driscoll, with the Northern Irishman set to be officially unveiled at an Anfield press conference on Friday morning.

And Jones appears to be in pole position to succeed him after being granted permission to hold talks with the Swans. Wigan chairman Dave 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."

He added: "But he rang me at 2.30 and said that was the case and we gave them permission immediately.

"Roberto (Martinez) 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.

"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."