Sky Sports.com

Mifsud: Not a target

Related links

Teams

• Coventry City
• Reading

Players

• Michael Mifsud

Also see

• Reading fixtures
• Reading stats
• Reading forum

Reading boss Steve Coppell has rubbished claims he is to bid £5million for Coventry's Michael Mifsud.

Armed with a healthy budget ahead of the January transfer window, Coppell is expected to spend up to £10million on new recruits.

A striker is thought to be on his wish-list and the freescoring Maltese international Mifsud is mooted as being a target.

Royals coach Wally Downes was in attendance for Malta's game against Greece at the weekend, but Coppell has poured cold water on the idea Mifsud was the subject of his observations.

"We were looking at somebody - but it wasn't Michael Mifsud. We were aware of him in the summer when he was a free agent, so why would I pay £5m for him now?

"But we never comment on potential transfer targets."

Tough to attract

Director of football Nicky Hammond concedes Reading are willing to spend, but attracting high calibre players remains a problem for a club with just one season of top flight football under their belt.

He said: "We certainly need to add to the squad in January to give us some impetus.

"I talk about the potential of this football club and I genuinely believe we will continue to move forward.

"There are a large number of players who have declined us.

"Players know we have a good track record in bringing players in. But I want to send the message out that Reading is potentially a big Premiership club and this is the place to be."