Town target Michael Chopra has what it takes to make it in the Premier League, according to former England striker Peter Beardsley, who worked with the Cardiff frontman during his time with Newcastle’s academy. The Blues are understood to have offered £4 million for the 26-year-old, who is set to hold talks regarding his future with Bluebirds boss Dave Jones.
Beardsley says he thought Chopra would make more of an impression on the top flight when Roy Keane took him from Cardiff to Sunderland for £5 million in July 2007: "To be honest I was surprised he didn’t make it in the Premier League. Roy knows he is a good player.
"I think he was unlucky in his time at Sunderland that they weren’t too successful and were fighting relegation.
"Certainly in the Championship, as he proved last year with Cardiff, he can score goals at that level.”
Beardsley feels Premier League managers are overlooking the ex-England U21 international and are instead looking to more tried and trusted alternatives: "Michael is the best academy player I ever worked with, he was different class.
"But he hasn’t proven it in the Premier League yet and that is the problem. It’s not Michael’s problem, but managers want someone proven.”
Chopra, whose meeting with Jones is now said to be taking place when he returns to Cardiff for pre-season training at the end of this month, netted eight goals in 22 starts and 17 sub appearances in the Premier League for the Black Cats before returning to Cardiff, initially on loan, in November 2008.