Doncaster have rejected a Town £2.6 million joint-bid for striker Billy Sharp and midfielder James Coppinger. Rovers chairman John Ryan has confirmed that his club has turned down £2.3 million for Sharp and £300,000 for Coppinger.
Ryan says the South Yorkshire club have no plans to sell the pair: "[Manager] Sean O’Driscoll is determined to build a quality squad to go into next season and these two players are pivotal to that desire.
"The club remains ambitious and feels that with a bit more luck with injuries and refereeing decisions we can be a real force in the Championship next season.
"Sharp and Coppinger are without doubt wonderful players that are getting better and better. I’m very confident, if they both remain fit, they will influence our campaign in a very positive way.
"I’m confident Billy can notch 25 goals next season, with James providing the bullets for him, along with others.
"Myself, the directors, the management team and the players are looking forward to a great season next term - and we’re looking up rather than down.”
A number of this morning’s national newspapers reported Town’s move for Sharp, who TWTD revealed had been watched by manager Paul Jewell in March, and Coppinger, who we mentioned was strongly tipped for a Town move on Monday.
Sharp, 25, started his career with hometown club Sheffield United, spending time on loan at Rushden and Diamonds during the second half of 2004/05.
That summer, the 5ft 9in tall frontman moved on to Scunthorpe for £100,000 and it was at Glanford Park where Sharp made his name netting 24 times in his first season and on 32 occasions in his second — the most for the club for 45 years - as he helped the Iron into the League One title.
A return to Bramall Lane followed via a £2 million deal but Sharp’s second spell with the Blades never really got going, his first two seasons yielding six goals apiece.
Doncaster took him on loan a month into 2009/10 and the goals began to flow again, 15 following on from an early season strike for the Blades.
Rovers boss O’Driscoll made the switch a permanent one last summer when paid his club’s South Yorkshire neighbours £1.1 million, the striker signing a three-year deal.
This season, Sharp scored another 16 goals, including two against the Blues in Town’s 3-2 win in January. Overall, Sharp has netted 109 times in 219 starts and 24 sub appearances during his career.
Coppinger, 30, began his footballing life with Darlington but Newcastle United signed him for £250,000 while the Guisborough-born player was still a teenager.
Two loans at Hartlepool followed with a single Premier League game from the bench for the Magpies and an appearance-less spell at QPR in between them.
Coppinger joined Exeter on a free transfer in the summer of 2002 and spent two years at the other St James’ Park before moving on to Doncaster for £30,000 in June 2004. This season the 5ft 7in tall midfielder has scored seven goals but also helped Sharp to many of his.
Over his career, Coppinger, who like Sharp is contracted to Rovers until 2013, has made 359 starts and 53 sub appearances, scoring 52 goals.
Earlier in the week, Rovers defender George Friend was also mentioned in connection with the Blues.