Coppell: Transfer warning

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Reading manager Steve Coppell has told Premier League clubs they have three weeks to buy his players.

Coppell has spent the summer expressing concerns that the star names in his squad will be snatched away and, on Friday, Dave Kitson left as Stoke paid a club record £5.5million for the striker.

And Coppell has now told any clubs interested in members of his squad that they have a transfer window because he does not want to be disrupted by late departures.

Reading begin their Championship campaign away to Nottingham Forest on 10th August and Coppell wants all transfer activity completed before that date.

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"I would prefer no one to leave if I'm honest, but if there is realism in the market I will leave it to the player," Coppell told Get Reading.

"But in three weeks' time forget about it. If there are any Premier League clubs hovering around my players they have three weeks to do it because then our season starts.

"We would not have time to find replacements beyond that stage.

"I can't stop the last-minute sales, but after August 10 it becomes an acceptable bid plus a hefty premium."

Kitson loss

Meanwhile, Coppell confesses Reading may miss Kitson's goalscoring abilities as they attempt to bounce back to the Premier League following last season's relegation.

"It was good money, but if you look at his goalscoring record I'll bet there is hardly a player in the country that can match Dave Kitson's ratio of goals to games," Coppell added.

"You can't buy goals. Well, you can but it costs an awful lot. At the sharp end is where it really matters. It's the difference between survival and relegation, and promotion and play-offs.

"Dave decided he wanted to move on because he wanted to play in the Premiership. At 28, he felt time was not quite running out, but something to be mindful of."