City still in chase for Le Fondre

Last updated : 25 August 2011 By Covsupport News Service/RD

There are unconfirmed reports that Coventry City target Adam Le Fondre has put in a transfer request with his his club Rotherham United.

The 24 year old striker has been on Coventry's radar for some time and had made a cash plus player bid for the in form striker, but it was rejected by Rotherham chairman Tony Stewart.

Yesterday Stewart said to the Yorkshire Post: “(Coventry) City came in with a joke bid a fortnight or so ago but I am sure they weren’t serious. I got the impression it was more a case of them wanting to show their supporters that they were trying to do something.”

Coventry were not the only club to be scorned by Stewart.  Sheffield Wednesday also made a bid for Le Fondre ,but Stewart said of that offer, “I laughed when I saw the bid. It was less than we paid Rochdale for him.  As a businessman, I don’t want anybody trying to take me to the cleaners.”

There have been conflicting claims coming from the Rotherham camp over Le Fondre and his valuation. It is clear that they do not want to lose him, but he is out of contract next summer and he can then walk away and The Millers will get nothing for him.

He cost Rotherham around £125,000 two years ago and Stewart said last month that he valued Alf, as Le Fondre is known, at £500,000. Coventry's bid was thought to be around £350,000 plus a player, possibly Clive Platt and a sell on clause. If that is the case, it was not the joke bid that Stewart claimed.

Le Fondre is known to want to play at a higher level than Division 2 and a move to the Championship would be seen by the player as a good move. It all depends on whether Coventry can find the money to tempt Rotherham or whether they will keep him and risk losing him for nothing next year.

If Coventry City do manage to sign Le Fondre it will prove conclusively that the club is not under a transfer embargo as has been suggested on a few message boards.