Town striker Connor Wickham is again reported to be a summer target of Newcastle United. The Magpies were strongly linked with Wickham in January when the England U21 international was claimed to be a potential replacement for Andy Carroll after his departure for Liverpool.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, who was Reading manager for a brief period during Wickham’s time in the Royals’ academy almost a decade ago, is said to be ready to test Town’s resolve with an offer in the close season.
Tottenham and Liverpool are the clubs most often linked with the 18-year-old, but plenty of other Premier League sides have also been keeping an eye on the frontman’s progress since his time as an academy schoolboy at Playford Road.
Speaking in March, manager Paul Jewell reiterated that the Blues don’t want to sell Wickham, who is now contracted until 2014, but felt that if he did go it would almost certainly be to a bigger top flight club: "If it was one of the smaller Premier League teams I don’t think Connor would want to go, but if one of the top clubs came in, it’s hard for them to say no. But we’re not actively looking to sell him.”