Best: City looking for £2m

Last updated : 19 January 2010 By Covsupport news service RD

It is looking ever more likely that top scorer Leon Best will be leaving the club with Middlesborough set to make an offer for the striker.

 However, Coventry City are quietly confident of getting a fee of around £2m for him and if Middlesborough fail to meet City's valuation, then he will go elsewhere or stay at The Rich until the summer.

Best is keen on Premiership football and Boro's recent poor form might not make them an attractive enough proposition, even if they do agree to City's valuation.

Best, who has failed to sign a new contract, will be able to leave the club in the summer. Coventry chairman Ray Ranson is confident that if he does leave and the the case goes to a tribunal, Best's value as a fully fledged Irish international and proven goal scorer will be in the region of the £2m he will be looking for now.

When Leon Best wanted to leave Southampton, he let his contract expire before signing for Coventry City and he would be prepared to do the same again. His fee went to tribunal where it was set at £650,000 rising to a little over £1m with  appearance and international call up clauses.