Reading boss Steve Coppell has admitted that it will be difficult to hold on to Kevin Doyle if a Premier League club shows interest, but insists that there has been no contact yet.

The 24-year-old striker has been linked with a host of Barclays Premier League sides, but Coppell has yet to receive any firm offers for the Republic of Ireland international.

"There's been nothing about Doyle, I've heard nothing for weeks," said Coppell. "I've always said if Premiership clubs decide they want our players then it's hard."

Last weekend Doyle stressed he is eager to get back into the Premier League and expects a move during the current transfer window.

"I want to be back in the Premier League as soon as I can," he told the Sunday Mirror.

"I want to test myself against the best players and I want to play at the top. I would expect something to happen before the transfer window closes."

Doyle had been linked with a move to Sunderland but Roy Keane has since signed three frontmen in El-Hadj Diouf, Djibril Cisse and Northern Ireland striker David Healy.

Aston Villa were also believed to be interested in the striker but there has been no move yet from Martin O'Neill.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni would certainly like to see the striker return to the Premiership ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup.