Transfer news and speculation

A couple of items around over the past few days regarding potential recruits to the club.

Dietmar Hamman, currently commentating on the World Cup for German TV has seemingly rebuffed an offer from Bolton and is expected to put pen to paper on a deal around the weekend, whilst we are in a 'straight fight' with Charlton for highly touted Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell. Both clubs have made £2 million bids reports the MEN as Stuart Pearce looks to overhaul the midfield.

No indication on whether the transfer may go ahead as yet, but one factor against us maybe a desire by the player to stay in the capital and also Reading's willingness to allow him to run down the final year of his contract in a bid to keep their Premiership survival.

One other piece of transfer news around was the signing by West Ham of former player Tyrone Mears. The fee, believed to be around £1.5 million netted us a bonus due to a sell-on clause inserted when we let him go to Preston.

Admittedly, I've not seen much of him since he left the club but what he showed whilst at City didn't convince me he would ever make a Premiership player.