Dave Kitson and Nicky Shorey have already flown the Madejski Stadium nest for the Premier League, and Steve Coppell doesn’t need any more of his key players doing one out of the exit door in Berkshire. It appears as though he’s taken a step nearer to retaining the services of a talented midfielder, with news coming through that Boro haven’t renewed their interest.

The brilliant Wokingham Times reports that James Harper is likely to be wearing blue and white hoops for the next few months rather than the red of Middlesbrough. After the Premier League side made an initial bid for the player (which was rejected), they’re holding back from a fresh assault.

Coppell, though, does not need to sell and wants to keep hold of the 27-year-old, who was made vice-captain at the start of the season.

But Royals’ boss has admitted he would find it hard to resist large offers.

He told the Evening Post: “I have not heard a dickie bird (from Middlesbrough) – they have gone nowhere near him. I couldn’t say if anyone will come in for any of my players before the deadline.

“There are still two weeks to go and it may be that if a couple of Premier League clubs have some bad results then they may decide to do something, but realistically I can’t see it.”

Great news for Royals fans, who will undoubtedly appreciate that Harper is central to their hopes of gaining instant promotion this season. The former Arsenal trainee has made 256 starts for Reading since joining from Highbury in 2001 and it would be a wrench to see him leave just as he’s reaching the peak of his career.

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