PAOLO Di Canio is hopeful he can keep Adam Rooney for the remainder of the season, regardless of whether or not Paul Caddis moves permanently to Birmingham during the January transfer window.

Forward Rooney arrived at the County Ground as part of the deal that took former Swindon Town captain Caddis on a season-long loan to St Andrew’s in August.

With Caddis expected to complete a move to the Championship outfit next month, questions remain regarding how a full-time switch for the right-back will affect the terms of Rooney’s stay in Wiltshire.

As it stands, however, Di Canio does not anticipate the impending sale of Caddis to prevent him from being able to keep the striker, who has scored three times in 14 appearances for the Robins this campaign.

“At the moment we are talking in a way that they want to buy Caddis. With Rooney, I want to keep him. Even if in the last few games he didn’t play, he is important, he will have his chance,” he said.

“He helps me play in a wide area, he understands what I want so he’s an option for me because we are very short there – especially with Gary who is sometimes out.

“He’s very professional, he’s got quality. I know it’s very difficult because at the moment we are doing well but I want to keep him on loan.

“Caddis is in a different situation because we want to sell. If they ask us to negotiate and they want to put Rooney as a part of the deal we can discuss but at the moment we are talking about them wanting to buy Caddis.

“Rooney remains with us until the end of the season. At the end of the season we can see if he can be brought back or maybe we can keep him, but at the moment it’s not in the deal.

“I want to keep Rooney, like the contract is, until the end of the season. If they want to buy Caddis then they are two different situations at the moment. If they come back because they don’t have money and ask that we have to negotiate then we will see.”