Reading manager Steve Coppell has called West Ham United's £4m offer for full-back Nicky Shorey 'derisory'.
Coppell, speaking this morning confirmed that the Hammers had made an official approach for the 26-year-old full-back, who recently made his first international appearances."There's a certain amount of activity going on behing the scenes, so something may happen," Coppell told the club website.
"I can't deny West Ham have made an offer [for Shorey], but I look at the price of players and I consider the offer they made as being derisory, not serious.
"It's an offer made to put the whole issue in the public domain, an invitation to cause unrest in a way. I long for the days when we used to do business by phone, you talk about it, a deal's not accepted and nobody knows.
"I think the player is happy at Reading, but speculation about your future is bound to be unsettling. I hope he's playing for us on Saturday, let's see."
The Hammers are expected to make an improved offer ahead of tomorrow's deadline.
Meanwhile the only left-back currently at the club, Geroge McCartney, is expected to make a full recovery from a midweek injury scare in time to face Reading on Saturday afternoon.
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