READING FC are on the verge of completing two of the biggest transfer coups in the club's history. Ex-Real Madrid star Royston Drenthe is poised to pen a three-year deal with the Royals having agreed personal terms. And Reading boss Nigel Adkins could follow that up with a jaw-dropping swoop for £8 million-rated Celtic striker Gary Hooper. The Chronicle understands Hooper met with Reading's representatives earlier this week with a view to making a big-money switch to Madejski Stadium. The 25-year-old has been seeking a move south and looks set to link up with Adkins once again having played underneath him at Scunthorpe United. If the Hooper deal goes through it would shatter Reading's £3 million transfer record for Nantes flop Emerse Fae in 2007. Celtic have rejected an offer of around £4.5 million from Premier League Hull City, but Royals owner Anton Zingarevich is ready to splash the cash and secure the services of the talented forward who has plundered 63 goals in 95 league games for the Bhoys.
Wonder how many Celtic "fans" are spitting their dummies out on the Reading board right now? I might pop over and stir the pot. English 2nd Division more attractive than Scotland's premier club............
That could back fire on him if Reading don't go up. Even though he is playing in the spl i think he should move to the premier league.
Brilliant. A club of similar size to us that have just been relegated, and they're seemingly more willing to splash some cash on a fantastic footballer than we are. And we're supposed to be the Premier League side. Come on Assem, get some ****ing cash spent. It's not as if we're asking you to spunk it on ****e like Kamel Ghilas, Ibrahima Sonko, Bernard Mendy or Peter Halmosi.
Are you always this easy spending other peoples money? It's almost like you think 8 million quid isn't a lot too.
8 million quid, say £30.000 a week contract, 1.5 million a season wages, 3 year contract total 12.5 million for a championship side i very much doubt it don't you?
I know a damn sight more about football than the Allams. Hooper would be worth every penny, I can guarantee it. I've been saying for about two years that he deserves an England call up, and now we've got the chance to sign him. We should go for Austin too. That's the only way we've got a chance of staying up, and that's without considering a centre-half, keeper and winger.
Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Nigel get Hooper at Reading. He's already got Bridge and Drenthe who he tried to sign for us last summer. He had various offers turned down by Celtic when he was our manager too.
Are you for real mate? No just asking to 'spunk it' on a player that came from Scunny, played in the ****e SPL against sides no better than League 1 and Celtic want £7m for a player that's out of contract this time next year. Tell me you're a WUM please. Sorry - I get it, you're just a tit.
They know a lot more than you about money, making it and its value. This isn't FIFA13 we're playing. It's real money. Theirs. Yes he's a good player. Yes he'd be good for us. If they think he's too much, he's too much. Like lots of other players who would be good for us.