Pardew's Piggy: Royals To Clinch Zamora Signing?
Last updated : 25 June 2003 By Rob Cooper
Alan Pardew has been handed a 'sizeable' transfer budget which he will attempt to invest wisely in players that can earn the Royals automatic promotion to the Premiership next season. But who will Pardew spend the contents of his piggy bank on?
Brighton & Hove Albion's prized asset Bobby Zamora has often been linked with Reading. Yet these rumours are believed to lack substance, dreamt up by Royals fans who would love to see they're arch-rivals biggest name wearing the blue and white hoops. At Reading Mad we love to speculate - but we also love to dream so we thought we'd investigate.
So who's after him?
A whole host of Premiership sides are reportedly keeping a close eye on Bobby Zamora, one of the most highly-rated young forwards in the country. Leicester boss Micky Adams, formerly of Brighton, was reported to be interested in taking Zamora to the Walkers Stadium but was put off by the £3 million price tag.
Tottenham Hotspur have been long-term admirers of the England Under 21 star but the White Hart Lane side's interest is expected to wane as they recently captured Portuguese hotshot Postiga.
Charlton therefore remain the only club who seem serious about signing the former Bristol Rovers man. As things stand though, it is more than possible that one of the games best young talents could be strutting his stuff in Division Two next season.
Unless Reading were to come in with that bid they have so often been linked with...
How much would he cost?
Zamora and Hove Albion are reported to want £3 million for Bobby's services, a fee that is unrealistic in the current transfer market. If Dick Knight is serious about raising some funds for his club then he will have to lower their asking price.
Unofficial sources have claimed that Reading are 'prepared' to offer £1.4 million plus two players part exchange - a fair price for a player whose value could potentially rise tenfold.
Is he worth it?
Maybe. When Peter Risdale signed Rio Ferdinand from West Ham for £18 million he knew he was doing a canny bit-of-business. After two fantastic years with the Lilywhites Ferdinand was sold on for £30 million. The same could occur if the Royals were to sign Zamora, albeit on a smaller scale.
One would think that the 22-year-old would guarantee perhaps 20 goals per season. Alternatively, Pardew could spend just £1 million on a combined deal that would bring Neil Shipperley and David Connolly to the club from Wimbledon. Whilst certainly not a long-term investment, the pair could provide fifty goals between them a season, enough perhaps to earn the Royals a Premiership place and a £15 million cash windfall.
So is Zamora worth it? Possibly, but other, perhaps less financially risky, and maybe better options are available.
If he was to come to Reading where would he play?
Zamora would play up front alongside Nicky Forster, or potentially on his own. Such is the centre-forwards ability he is a player to shape the whole team around.
So what's he done in his career thus far?
Rejected by Norwich as a teenager, 22-year-old Zamora has gone onto prove the doubters who thought he was too small for Professional football well and truly wrong.
Almost down and out, Zamora signed for Bristol Rovers. During three years with the Pirates he played on just four occasions and spent time on loan at Bath and Brighton. It was a loan spell with the Seagulls that saw the youthful Zamora first make a name for himself, netting six times in six games.
A £100,000 transfer, and one of Bristol Rovers biggest transfer own goals, followed in the summer of 2000. Zamora was a Brighton player. The blow was softened for lowly Rovers who insisted on a 33% sell on clause.
The South Coast side began to get the best out of a player who had, thus far, proved to be a bit of a footballing enigma. Thirty-four goals in forty-nine games more than repaid Zamora's transfer fee as the Third Division Seagulls shot into the second.
The Brighton revival continued the following season, 6ft 1inch Zamora again playing a prominent role as Peter Taylor's side stole Reading's championship.
Last year was the first 'bad' one in Bobby's burgeoning career. The Seagulls sunk, unable to swim in Division One. An injury ravaged Zamora was unable to make a major impact due to recurring injury worries and netted just fourteen goals.
Every time Zamora has hit the back of the net the Withdean Stadium side have added an extra '0' to his transfer value.
So will he sign for Reading?
If interest from Premiership clubs has indeed cooled then maybe, just possibly, Zamora could don the blue and white hoops of Reading. But don't expect it to happen.
You can claim that signing an England Under 21 international who is so highly-rated cannot be a bad thing as his value will only grow, yet, if he was to suffer through injury a massive investment could prove to be a massive mistake.
Reading MAD don't think Zamora will sign but we won't be promising to eat our own hats if he does.
