Bluebirds Reject Bid For Chopra

Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale says they have turned down a substantial bid for star striker Michael Chopra.

There was speculation that Cardiff's Championship rivals Watford had tabled a £3m offer, but Ridsdale said the unnamed bidders are not the Hornets.

"We haven't had any bid from Watford although we have had a bid for Michael Chopra," Ridsdale told BBC Sport Wales.

"But like the bids we've had for other players we've said 'no', we want to try and keep the team together."

Chopra joined the Bluebirds from Newcastle in June 2006 for £500,000, a bargain sum given that the 23-year-old struck 22 league goals last season.

The Geordie's scoring record in the Championship compares favourably with that of England striker David Nugent, who his club Preston have valued at £6m.

Ridsdale admits that a bid in that region would test Cardiff's resolve to keep Chopra.

"I've gone on record as saying that every player has his price, but so far no one has met the valuation for any of our players," Ridsdale added.

"But we're not going to sell any of our players on the cheap."

The Bluebirds have turned down a bid of more than £1m for 16-year-old midfielder Aaron Ramsey from a London-based Premiership club, and two bids from Everton for defender Chris Gunter, 16.

Cardiff continue to be linked with a move for Robbie Fowler, who was released by Liverpool this summer.

Should the Bluebirds pull off that audacious bid, the 32-year-old former England striker is likely to arrive as a partner in attack for Chopra rather than a replacement.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk