Doncaster Rovers have turned down a Town offer of £400,000 for midfielder James Coppinger, according to reports in South Yorkshire. The 30-year-old was previously the subject of a £300,000 bid by the Blues which was rebuffed along with a £2.3 million offer for striker Billy Sharp.

Town manager Paul Jewell said last week that he would continue his pursuit of Coppinger, with the renewed bid reported over the weekend, but had decided not to make any further overtures for Sharp. Yesterday, Doncaster turned down a £2.8 million offer for Sharp from a Championship club, believed to be Southampton.

Earlier in the week, Coppinger said that he was in no particular hurry to leave his current club: "I'll be reporting to Doncaster on 4th July and I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to get back and I'm looking forward to next season."

The midfielder, who played alongside Town coach Sean McCarthy at Exeter, was away when Rovers turned down the Blues’ initial offer but talked to chairman John Ryan on his return: "I came back and spoke to the chairman and we left it at that.”

The Grecians are entitled to 15% of any profit Doncaster make on the £35,000 they paid the Devon club for the former Newcastle and Darlington man in 2004.

Former Town skipper Richard Naylor is in talks with Rovers and is expected to sign on at the Keepmoat Stadium having been released by Leeds at the end of the season.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

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