NORWICH CITY'S interest in winning Kevin Cooper's signature on a full-time basis looks to have ended after Wolves slapped an "unrealistic" price tag on the winger's head.
The 29-year-old midfielder proved a big hit during his two-month loan spell with the Canaries – culminating in a Nationwide League Division One championship medal and an open top bus ride around the city.
Cooper himself made little secret of his wish to make the switch to Norfolk permanent. However, the fact that he still has two years to run on his current Molineux contract was always going to be a potential stumbling block – particularly once sources in the West Midlands suggested that Wolves' hard-nosed chief executive Jez Moxey would be looking to recoup most of the £1 million they paid Wimbledon for his services two years ago.
With City boss Nigel Worthington determined to make sure every penny of his Premiership transfer kitty is well spent, he is not about to splash his cash on over-inflated fees.
"We've spoken to Wolves and they've given us an unrealistic asking price for Kevin – one that we're not prepared to pay," said Worthington, happy to bide his time in his summer search for the right player at, crucially in Cooper's case, the right price.
"We've still got three months until the start of the season and while we all know that times passes very quickly, we're still going to make sure that we do our homework," said Worthington, well aware that at some point he may need to roll out the cheque book to get his man. City's summer shopping will not all be free transfers.
"At some stage we are going to have to spend healthily on a transfer fee if we're looking to get that extra quality in," he said.
As for Riccardo Scimeca's decision to spurn Norwich's advances for a place in Gary Megson's Premiership battle plans at West Bromwich Albion, Worthington remained typically philosophical – helped by the knowledge that Scimeca's thoughts were dominated by the needs of a month-old baby and, in particular, his wife's strong desire to remain true to their close-knit Midlands roots.
"I am disappointed," said the City boss.
"We'll not be able to carry the biggest squad next season and he was one of those nice ones that could have played at either centre-half or centre-midfield and to have someone that can cover two positions like that in a small squad would have been good.
"But that's life in football. We've experienced it before and we remain upbeat, positive and we'll just carry on trying to get the right people in for Norwich City Football Club."
WHAT CRAP HE IS VERY GOOD AND WE DONT BID FOR HIM...SHOWS HOW MUCH WE WANT TO STAY UP DONT IT!
WORTHY WOULD RATHER BUY KEOWN OR SHERINGHAM
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Leroy!, Leroy!, Leroy!
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NEXT MATCH: Nottingham Forest Vs. Norwich City | City Ground (Nottingham) | Sat 22nd Nov 2008 | Championship
LAST MATCH: Norwich City 2-3 Swansea City | Attendance: 24,262
NEXT DOMESTIC CUP MATCH: TBA
LEAGUE POSITION: 19th (17 PTS)
TOP SCORERS: Leroy Lita (5), Arturo Lupoli (4), Darel Russell (2), Lee Croft (2), John Kennedy (2), Antoine Sibierski (2), Sammy Clingan (1)
TEAM FROM LAST MATCH: David Marshall, Jon Otsemobor, John Kennedy, Gary Doherty, Ryan Bertrand, Sammy Clingan, Matty Pattison, Mark Fotheringham (Wes Hoolahan 62), David Bell, Arturo Lupoli (Jamie Cureton 66), Leroy Lita
SUBS NOT USED: Stuart Nelson, Adam Drury, Elliot Omozusi
Cooper price tag too high - Worthington
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