Jones rules out Chopra bid

Bluebirds boss cannot afford former striker

Last updated: 31st December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Jones rules out Chopra bid

Chopra: Back at Sunderland

As much as we'd like him we don't have five million to go and buy Chops. We just have to look elsewhere.

Jones on Chopra
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Cardiff City manager Dave Jones has ruled out Sunderland striker Michael Chopra returning to the club on a permanent basis.

The forward has just returned to Sunderland following a successful loan spell at Ninian Park that produced five Championship goals in 11 games.

Although Chopra expressed his desire to stay with the South Wales outfit and help The Bluebirds to secure promotion, he has been recalled by manager Ricky Sbragia.

Jones is keen on retaining the 25-year-old's services, but admits the club cannot afford the £5million fee The Black Cats paid Cardiff back in the summer of 2007.

Sunderland's decision

"Of course we would like to have kept him. It's not our decision," he told Sky Sports News. "We always knew that if he came here and did well there was always the chance he would go back.

"There's talk about buying him. We can't buy him. The club want their money back, around four-and-a-half to five million pounds. No club in the Championship is going to pay that. If you do you're mad.

"As much as we'd like him we don't have five million to go and buy Chops. We just have to look elsewhere.

"We don't have a bad squad anyway. We've got Ross McCormack who has just come back from injury. Chops was brought in to cover for Ross's injury anyway. So we'll just keep popping along."