DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan has played down speculation linking Worcester Warriors with experienced Ireland and Leinster loosehead prop Cian Healy.

The Sixways club are involved in early contract negotiations with the 28-year-old, according to media reports in the Irish Times.

Warriors had been linked with former Blue Bulls tighthead prop Frik Kirsten and Leicester Tigers’ powerful England back Manu Tuilagi.

But Kirsten could not secure a work permit to play in the UK and Tuilagi signed a new deal to remain at Leicester.

And Ryan said: “I think we are becoming fashionable to be linked with.

“Any high-profile player we think is right for here we will obviously be interested in talking to but only if they are interested in our story and what we are doing at Worcester.

“We have to be careful we are not linked with every person now who is in contract negotiations.”

Healy is also believed to be negotiating a central, international contract with IRFU.

Although he has 56 Irish caps to his name, Healy has had a tough time of things in the last couple of seasons, having recovered from an operation to a disc in his neck last May.

Healy has played just nine Tests over the last two seasons, starting only four of them, while making eight starts for Leinster in the same timeframe. He is out of contract with Leinster in the summer.

Ryan said: “I can assure any Worcester fan that when we do have a conversation with anybody it’s about whether people understand what we are doing here. If they do, I will do my upmost to try to bring them in.”

Warriors are gearing up for their biggest Aviva Premiership game of the season when they travel to bottom-of-the-table London Irish on Sunday (1pm).

Warriors are 10th in the table, just four points better off than Irish, and will look to end a dreadful run of 11 successive defeats in all competitions.

An interesting back-story heading into the contest surrounds Warriors centre Andy Symons, whose brother Matt plays for Irish.

Andy Symons out of contract with Worcester in the summer and is believed to be in discussions with a switch to Irish.

Asked whether Symons’ link to Irish would affect team selection, Ryan said: “I expect everybody to conduct themselves professionally whether they are staying here or going away.

"If they don’t; that responsibility sits with themselves.

“I think the way people conduct themselves during those times will frame themselves for the rest of their professional career for any player and for me as well.

“I will select people who I think will play well for this club and I will do that irrespective of whether somebody has signed to go somewhere else or stay here - it doesn’t make any difference.

“We are in the here and now. Whatever we think is the best team for the weekend will be selected."