Published: Monday, 7th July, 2008 09:00
Royals bidding war
By Anthony Smith
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Fighting talk: Royals boss Steve Coppell is laying down the law to his players, some of whom have aleady attracted offers from rival clubs.
READING boss Steve Coppell has repeated the club’s 'no need to sell’ policy after turning down several bids for their players.
Coppell confirmed that official offers, believed to have been made in the past week by both Premier League and Championship sides, have been rejected.
He would not say who the bids were for but there are certain to be more in the coming weeks as speculation grows around Reading’s star players.
The likes of Nicky Shorey, Stephen Hunt, Leroy Lita, Kevin Doyle, Dave Kitson and James Harper have all been strongly linked with moves away from the Madejski Stadium following relegation from the Premier League.
Coppell explained: “Yes, there have been some written offers but, I repeat and emphasise, we have no financial need to sell anybody.
“We’re certainly not going to sell anybody below what we feel to be a realistic market valuation of those who want to leave.
“I’d like to think there aren’t too many who want to go. They may not have as many options as they think and, in the summer, the agency business is to agitate through Press speculation.
“Now we’re back and have started football work, I hope the players’ focus returns to the sport and green grass rather than the money and promises of riches that agents are hanging in front of their eyes.”
Portsmouth are thought to be lining up a £3 million bid for Shorey having already signing Glen Little on a free transfer.
Newcastle are being linked with a £4 million swoop for Lita who, like Shorey, has rejected a new contract with Reading.
Sunderland want Hunt and Doyle while Kitson is liked by Fulham and Wigan.
It is understood Middlesbrough have also been tracking Harper for several months and are willing to pay £3 million for the ex-Arsenal trainee.
And Coppell has told any players who are hankering for a move back to the top-flight to sling their hook as the squad steps up its pre-season preparations.
“I don’t want anyone here who doesn’t want to be here,” he declared. “I’d like to think that now training has started the players have a real appetite to get back to the Premier League with Reading.
“It’s a question of looking people in the eye and seeing what their real intent is. I don’t think the Reading public want players here when they are saying the opposite in the papers.
“Over the next few weeks I will determine their mentality. If they don’t want to be here, I don’t want to work with them and the Reading public probably don’t want to watch them play either.”
Coppell also took a swipe at football agents for “fanning the flames,” of the football rumour mill.
“It’s a by-product of the agency industry,” he argued. “Agents don’t make money if players stay at clubs. They only make money when players move so it’s in their best interests to fan the flames and have more and more speculation.
“But I have to admit, we are vulnerable having dropped a division. I like to think we have a number of players who could perform and do well in the Premier League and I’m sure we will receive a few offers in the coming weeks.
“But we have no financial need to sell anybody so any sales will be on our terms.”
Meanwhile, Hunt told the Midweek’s sister paper, The Reading Chronicle: “Every Reading player wants to play in the Premier League and that’s the truth.
“Don’t get me wrong, players are happy here. But if anybody said they did not want to play in the Premier League they’d be lying.
“Personally, I love it around here. It’s not that people aren’t happy but everyone wants to play at the highest level.
“It’s a short career and I think fans would appreciate it more if players were more honest about these things.
“Supporters aren’t stupid and it makes more sense if they know what’s going on.”
Coppell is set to split his squad and play mixed teams in the club’s first friendly matches of the pre-season.
Royals face Didcot Town at Loop Meadow this Saturday (3pm) then travel to Forest Green Rovers next Tuesday night (7.45pm).
l ROYALS keeper Adam Federici will miss the start of the Championship season after winning a place in Australia’s Olympic squad.
The 23-year-old Aussie is one of two keepers in the Socceroos 18-man squad.
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