Reading fail in Di Canio bid

Reading fail in Di Canio bid

Reading failed to land Di Canio

West Ham United have rejected a bid by First Division promotion chasers Reading to take unsettled Paolo di Canio on loan.

Royals boss Alan Pardew revealed he hoped to clinch a deal for the Italian, whose Upton Park future is in doubt after a bust-up with boss Glenn Roeder.

But West Ham were angry that Reading had made their move public and turned down the deal.

Pardew confirmed to the club's official website: "I enquired to West Ham about Paolo and they are not interested.

"He's very much a West Ham player and the interest is dead as far as we are concerned.

"I shouldn't have spoken to the press about Di Canio this morning, but it was a genuine mistake.

I hope this issue has not created any ill feeling between the clubs

Nigel Howe,
Reading chief executive

"Glenn Roeder is very upset and has made his feelings clear to me, and I apologise to both Glenn and West Ham United."

Reading chief executive Nigel Howe added: "I've spoken to Paul Aldridge, chief executive at West Ham, who says there's no possibility of Di Canio joining Reading.

"And he will not be leaving West Ham in the foreseeable future.

"I'd like to assure West Ham that we will always make a formal approach if we are interested in a player and I hope this issue has not created any ill feeling between the clubs."

Reading are third in the Division One table, 10 points behind second-placed Leicester and seem certain of atleast a play-off place.

Roeder was scheduled to hold crunch talks with Di Canio on Monday after falling out with the mercurial Italian striker.

The pair have not spoken since the defeat at West Brom almost three weeks ago when Di Canio was substituted and responded by criticising Roeder's management.

Di Canio accuses Roeder

Di Canio, who has been in Bologna having treatment on his knee, is upset at the way the club have handled his contract situation.

He has persistently aired his problems in public, but Roeder aims to deal with him face-to-face.

The manager said last week: "I don't like conversations down the telephone and I don't like two-way conversations through a television channel. My door here at Chadwell Heath is very rarely closed

"Paolo had a cold, then gastritis, then a period in Italy getting fit again so it is very difficult. When he comes back on Monday we shall have a chat."

Roeder is hopeful the Italian still has a major part to play in the Hammers' fight against relegation.

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