Doncaster boss Dean Saunders has admitted that midfielder James Coppinger could be one of those leaving the Keepmoat Stadium over the summer in the wake of his side's relegation. On Thursday, Blues manager Paul Jewell said he could renew his interest in the former Exeter man, having failed to land the 31-year-old during the last close season, but played down the likelihood of a deal on Saturday.
Saunders says Coppinger may be one of several players moving on as Rovers look to cut costs following their drop into League One: "I would imagine. He’s got two years left. I would imagine that some clubs will come in for him. I imagine that some clubs will come in for George [Friend], Tommy Spurr, lots of them.
"And some of the ones out of contract who I’d like to keep, we’ve let their contracts run out, so if they go it’s our fault really. They’re going to have other options.
"There are some that I really don’t want to go but if a Championship club comes in and offers them more money, I can’t really stop them.”
Midfielder Simon Gillett, who was interesting the Blues prior to his move to Doncaster in the summer of 2010, is amongst the Rovers players whose contracts are up at the end of June.
Despite his comments regarding Coppinger on Thursday, speaking after Saturday’s game, Jewell played down the likelihood of the Blues being able to do a deal for the ex-Darlington and Newcastle man: "I don’t think so. We’d like good players, he’s a good player, Coppinger, but I don’t think so.”
Saunders said Jewell, who he played for at Bradford, was yet to ask him about the Guisborough-born midfielder: "He’s not said anything, we’ve not heard anything.
"Probably now the season is over with, people are going to start making a few moves but there are lots of teams still playing, there’s another game in League One next week and then there are the play-offs.”
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