Royals breaking bank for Mensah

Reading boss Steve Coppell has confirmed that the Premiership newcomers have tabled a club record bid for Ghanaian World Cup defender John Mensah.

The Rennes star caught the eye as The Black Stars became the only African team to reach the final 16 in Germany, and recent reports suggested that Reading, Sheffield United and Monaco were all interested in striking a deal.

However, Coppell is now looking to steal a march on his rivals by offering £3.5 million for the 23-year-old.

The Royals have already purchased Sam Sodje and Seol Ki-Hyeon in preparation for their first season in the top flight, and Coppell says he is currently awaiting news from Rennes regarding his record-breaking offer.

"We're waiting for things to happen. We're not in a position to start the ball rolling," the Royals boss told the Reading Chronicle.

"We depend on others, and our resources are such that we're waiting for the fall-out on other deals."

Coppell is working hard in the transfer market in preparation for the new season, and the Royals boss is confident he will be welcoming new faces to The Madejski Stadium in the coming weeks.

"At the moment we're hovering around," he added. "We know our targets.

"Sooner or later something will happen."