Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 72,348
Murray and Vydra would be a LETHAL combination.
Hi TSB, didn't see you there.
Reading Chronicle Sep 15: MATEJ Vydra’s agent claims Reading FC paid ‘too much’ to sign the striker from Watford.
Ondrej Chovanec has revealed how Reading pipped Brighton & Hove Albion to land Vydra on a season-long loan.
But the player’s representative suggests the £2.5 million loan fee was excessive.
Following two loan spells at Vicarage Road, Czech international Vydra joined the Hornets this summer permanently from Udinese on a five-year deal.
But the 23-year-old quickly fell out with head coach Quique Sanchez Flores over his training methods and was made available for loan in the final days of the summer transfer window.
A host of Championship clubs were fighting for his signature, but it was Reading who struck a deadline-day deal.
The £2.5 million fee is thought to cover Vydra’s wages and gives boss Steve Clarke the option of signing him permanently should they win promotion.
However, Chovanec reckons Reading paid over the odds.
“To pay more than £2 million – £2.5 million with bonuses, in my eyes, is too much,” he told the Brighton Argus.
“I visited Brighton before the window closed. I met Paul Winstanley (head of recruitment). We had a very nice discussion, a very good discussion.
“I was very surprised by the facilities and had a very good impression from what I saw there and from the meeting as well.
“I spoke also with the manager. He explained everything. He was a very kind man and I had a very good impression.
“He (Vydra) knew about the interest. He also had discussions with the manager. He was impressed.
“They were very close with Reading and one other club. Finally Watford found agreement with Reading.”
He added: “Watford pushed three clubs to pay as much as they could.
“I don’t know what Brighton’s final proposal was. I had a feeling from Watford’s point of view they were not favourites to make a deal because they didn’t offer the highest loan fee.”