SYDNEY Swans coach Paul Roos is confident Ryan O’Keefe will be able to pick up where he left off despite a turbulent off-season which saw the premiership forward signal his intent to leave the club.

The Swans announced on Monday that O’Keefe would add to his 164 matches and see out his career in the harbour city.

The 27-year-old had wanted to return to his home state and play with a Melbourne-based club – something Roos says he fully understood – but after the Swans were unable to do a deal with any side during trade week, he was left with two options.

He could either remain a Swan or take his chances in December's NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft.

Now, with O’Keefe deciding to stick with the club where he is a life member, Roos says there are no hard feelings despite the drawn-out process it took to keep his star in the red and white.

"There’s always been good will between Ryan and the footy club," Roos told the AFL BigPond Network.

"Even during trade week, I probably spoke to him three times during that week. I called him at the end of trade week as well and spoke to him last week.

"He was keen to get back to Melbourne and we were trying to facilitate that for him but it didn’t work out … [now] we need to work out the finer details of the contract but at this stage everything’s been sorted out to a very good conclusion."

Next month O’Keefe will resume pre-season training, where he will confront his teammates for the first time since his decision.

But Roos doesn’t think that will be a problem.

"He is a player that is very highly rated here," Roos said.

"He’s finished in the top five of our best and fairest three or four years in a row [and] he’s one of our hardest trainers.

"If there is anyone that has any worry about him coming back he will quickly squash that and he’ll gain their respect again.

"From our point of view there was never any animosity and he was never unhappy with the club … he’s happy to move forward now as a Sydney Swans player."

Now-retired Swans ruckman Peter 'Spida' Everitt spoke earlier this month of the doubts that can linger between teammates when an attempted trade doesn’t go through.

Everitt eventually made his way from Hawthorn to the Swans at the end of the 2006 season but had wanted to head north a year earlier.

He said during trade week that he believed the Swans should do all they could to retain O’Keefe, recalling his own experience at the Hawks.

Everitt, who won best and fairest awards at two clubs, said when some players were unsuccessful in making a switch it could lead to an unhealthy environment.

"The players' (teammates) will question that later on through the year," Everitt said earlier this month.

"If you decide you want out and then it doesn’t come through, no doubt they have an obligation to question you and if you’re fully committed."