Published: Thursday, 19th June, 2008 11:00
Shorey saga takes a twist
By Anthony Smith
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Turning his back? Nicky Shorey may resist the temptation to join a Premier League club and stay with the Royals.
READING supporters have been offered a glimmer of hope in the battle to hold on to Nicky Shorey.
The 26-year-old left-back is widely considered to be on his way out after he rejected a new contract 12 months ago.
Although Shorey still has one year to run on his existing Royals deal, the fear is he will almost certainly leave for a Premier League club this summer following Reading’s relegation from the top-flight.
But this week the Royals gave the biggest hint yet that all is not lost in the fight to secure the long-term services of a player who, only 12 months ago, was a regular fixture in the England squad.
Director of football Nick Hammond told The Chronicle: “People are working on the assumption that Nicky Shorey will move on during the summer.
“But it simply hasn’t gone that far. Nobody has made us an offer for the player and even if they do it does not necessarily mean he will go.”
The Royals rejected a £4 million bid for Shorey from West Ham last year. There has been no fresh offers since then, although Portsmouth, Newcastle and Aston Villa are also tracking him.
If he does leave, Reading will ask for at least £3 million for a player who cost them £25,000 from Leyton Orient in 2001.
It is believed Orient have a substantial sell-on clause of about 20% of any future deals which could net them close to £1 million.
“I’m not going to discuss details of a contract,” stated Hammond. “But sell-ons to previous clubs when a player has come from the lower divisions are quite common place and not unusual.”
However, the Royals are digging in their heels and Hammond was eager to praise Shorey by insisting: “Steve Coppell and I have talked about this at length. If he stays with us he will be the best left-back in the Championship next season, we’re fairly sure of that.
“We would also love to have him here and playing for us, although we will have to wait and see.
“The assumption is that he will go but we want him to stay and be the best left-back at that level.”
Coppell is attempting to keep his squad together in a bid to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
But with his star assets attracting interest from top-flight clubs, he is almost resigned to losing some of his players.
Sunderland are thought to want Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt for £10 million, Dave Kitson has been linked with Newcastle and James Harper is on West Ham’s radar.
But Coppell accepts that the wages on offer in the top-flight will be a decisive factor in any future transfers.
The entire playing and coaching staff at Reading have taken a 40% pay-cut following relegation and Coppell stated: “It is a fact of life that we will probably lose some players. Some will be excited if they are offered Premiership football.
“That’s not saying anything detrimental about them, it’s just the way it works.
“We have a lot of players who have significant drops in their wages. We have to accept that if an offer comes in it might be the right time.”
But he also insisted: “We don’t have to sell. We will see what happens but we are not trying to move anyone on.”
Reading are already lining up possible replacements for any players who leave.
They have already loaned midfield flop Emerse Fae to Nice for a season and released six players.
It is rumoured they are now looking at Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson and Swansea City’s Dutch enforcer Ferrie Bodde who is edging closer to a move to Derby.
But Hammond refused to expand on widespread reports last week suggesting they are keen to unite Stephen Hunt with his younger brother, Noel, in a £400,000 deal with Dundee United.
“There are a lot of rumours going around,” he said. “I’ve spoken with an enormous number of clubs with regards to their players and what their plans are for the summer. It’s normal chit-chat at this time of year.
“But until somebody puts an offer in writing for one of our players, or vice-versa, that’s all it is, just talk.”
Meanwhile, Royals have given defensive coach Wally Downes until the end of the month to give them a decision on a new contract offer.
The ex-Brentford boss has been offered a 12 month deal but he has never hidden his desire to return to management.
“He’s still under contract with us until the end of June at which point we will need a final decision from Wally as to whether he is staying or going,” added Hammond.
“I’ve spoken to Steve Coppell about this and we’re both fairly relaxed about it.”
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