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."