Sheehan eyes signings as five Swansea players depart

Kyle Naughton and Joe Allen have played more than 550 Swansea games between them

Alan Sheehan says Swansea City must look for experience in the transfer market this summer after revealing Cyrus Christie, Kristian Pedersen and Jon McLaughlin will leave the club alongside Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton.

Allen, 35, and Naughton, 36, both made farewell appearances as Swansea drew 3-3 with Oxford United on the final day of the Championship season

Swansea had announced on the eve of the game that Allen and Naughton would depart.

Sheehan has now confirmed that defenders Christie, 32, and Pedersen, 30, will also be released when their contracts expire next month alongside 37-year-old keeper McLaughlin.

And having been appointed permanent head coach earlier this week, the Irishman says Swansea must bring in players with Championship know-how when the transfer window opens.

"I think we are going to have to get the right blend," Sheehan said.

"I think we are all very clear on that. I think we all agree that we want to bring in potentially really good players, but we want to give them that opportunity to thrive and in order to do that, you have to have the right culture, the right experience and the right blend."

While Allen and Naughton have opted to leave, centre-back Harry Darling is the only senior out-of-contract player who has been offered a new deal.

Swansea will also lose another established second-tier player in Lewis O'Brien, though they are interested in re-signing the on-loan Nottingham Forest midfielder.

Sheehan says he expects a "busy week" with Swansea looking to do some early summer transfer business.

BK Hacken winger Zeidane Inoussa looks close to arriving for a significant fee and Kilmarnock striker Bobby Wales is also on Swansea's radar.

"We have had meetings already. We want to be aggressive in the right areas of recruitment and try to be aggressive on our targets," Sheehan said.

Allen captained Sheehan's side in his final Swansea appearance before handing the armband to Naughton when the right-back arrived in his place on 70 minutes.

The duo received a huge ovation from a sell-out crowd at that point and again at full-time, when they were given a guard of honour by Swansea's players and staff as they came back on to the field for the end-of-season lap of appreciation.

"They are incredible people, incredible players, incredible for the culture of the club, and for those two to get the send-off they got from the fans, it was incredibly justified," Sheehan added.

"I think they could always add [something]. But when you know, you know. We have all been there - it gets to that stage.

"We have to respect their decisions [to leave] and appreciate what they have done in their careers."