DEFENDER Aden Flint was flattered to be targeted by a number of clubs in recent weeks, but the centre-back took an even bigger compliment from the fact Paolo Di Canio wants to keep him at the County Ground.

The big defender performed well on his return to the Robins side on Saturday in place of the injured Joe Devera but his future looked uncertain in the two weeks leading up to the match, with manager Di Canio openly discussing interest in Flint.

A bid from Bradford was rejected and, although Flint was flattered by their interest, he is in no doubt that he wants to remain at the County Ground.

“I have not read too much into it to be honest, and I don’t know all that much about what has been going on,” he said.

“I didn’t know about it until it came out in the paper, but the manager has stressed he wants to keep the squad together which is good for me.

“I want to stay at Swindon anyway, so I just need to carry on.

“It is a compliment to be linked with other clubs because it means they see something in you, but it is even more of a compliment that the manager wants to keep me here.

“We haven’t really spoken about any offers or anything like that, he has just said I am not for sale and that is the way it is.

“All I need to do is keep my head on the pitch, and I am a Swindon player so I just have to keep doing my job.”

Town travel to league leaders Tranmere on Saturday but, even though his side are now up to third in the table, Flint is not getting too carried away by the prospect of automatic promotion.

“We are up to third in the league which is obviously good, and we can go to Tranmere as the team third in the league,” he said.

“I don’t think we want to get too carried away by anything, we are in the play-off places now and we don’t need to get over-excited and thinking about finishing in the top two or anything like that.

“We just need to keep winning games and see where that takes us.”