WORCESTER Warriors chief executive Jim O’Toole has quashed speculation over director of rugby Dean Ryan’s future, insisting he is on a “long-term contract”.

O’Toole has also dismissed suggestions the club was “tightening their purse strings” after rumours the Warriors boss had a disagreement with the board over money.

Speculation has been growing over Ryan’s position at Warriors, with Bath also being rumoured to have approached him to become their new director of rugby.

But O’Toole has hit back, saying the former England international, who took over the reins in 2013, “retained the full support of the board”.

“Dean Ryan is under a long-term contract with the club,” he said.

“He returns to his desk on Monday after a pre-planned holiday and will join me and senior colleagues in our pre-season business planning as usual.

“We are excited for a new season which will see new long-term signings Ben Te’o, Francois Hougaard, Jackson Willison and Marco Mama join fellow new-boys Will Spencer and Matt Williams.

"Dean retains the full support of the board who are pleased with the progress made against the club’s five-year plan.”

O’Toole has also revealed they were “significantly raising” their budget for next season as they look to improve on their 10th place finish to the 2015/16 campaign.

“I was slightly bemused to read that there was any hint of Warriors tightening the purse strings as we prepare for the forthcoming Aviva Premiership season,” he said.

“We have committed to a 25 per cent increase in our rugby budget for the 2016/17 season - a significant rise, which I am sure many of our competitors will envy.

“Our long-term strategy is based on three key pillars – our development of a solid base of English Qualified Players via an annual £500,000 investment in our academy, our investment in top-class facilities and infrastructure and our commitment to spending to the Premiership Salary Cap to make the current squad as competitive as possible.”

Warriors’ recent investment programme has seen a spend of £3million on a new outdoor artificial training pitch, a new grass training pitch and the comprehensive refurbishment of the indoor training facilities.

The club is also undertaking its current project of the installation of a £750,000 artificial grass pitch at Sixways Stadium.”