Reading have warned Steve Sidwell he will not be guaranteed
first-team football if he departs the Madejski Stadium for one of
the Barclays Premiership big guns. The Royals are resigned to
losing Sidwell, who can leave on a free transfer after Sunday's
trip to Blackburn, despite offering to increase his wages to around
£25,000 per week.
The 24-year-old midfielder looked set to join Newcastle but Chelsea
and Manchester United are also interested in signing one of the
Premiership's most consistent performers. Reading director of
football Nicky Hammond revealed the club has made last-ditch
efforts to keep their prized asset but admits his exit is imminent.
"Steve knows our position," Hammond told the Reading
Chronicle.
"Steve is a player who needs to play week-in week-out to be at the
top of his game but there is never a guarantee of that happening
somewhere else. "Part of us still hopes he will stay but the
reality is he will go. However, he has got an awful lot to consider
and I hope he makes the right choice."
Reading boss Steve Coppell could be armed with a kitty as high as
£10million during the transfer window with Hammond predicting the
arrival of a handful of new faces in key positions. "There are a
number of areas we are looking to strengthen, not only Steve
Sidwell's," he said.
"There will be no major overhaul but we will tweak the squad and
look at moving on some fringe players. "Discussions are ongoing but
we always conduct our business in private."