Republic of Ireland international Kevin Doyle has put an end to the persistent rumours linking him with a move away from Reading by agreeing a new contract with the English Championship club. The striker has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Doyle had been the subject of endless speculation linking him with a string of top flight clubs, including Roy Keane's Sunderland, following Reading's relegation but the new contract will keep him at the Madejski Stadium until 2011.

"We wanted to act now and then concentrate fully on the season," Doyle explained today. "That's the idea behind signing the contract now and putting to rest any stories in January.

"We've done it before the window to stop all of that."

With 11 goals already this season, the division's top scorer, Doyle can now focus on helping the Royals win promotion back into the Premier League. Reading are currently third in the table, three points behind Birmingham.

"I have gone up with Reading in the past, now I've come down with them too. To go up again would be an even bigger achievement this time and I would like to be part of that," he added.

"The club and I didn't want uncertainty in January, we wanted to clear things up now and then just try to get back into the Premiership in what is a massive season for us.

"We said 'how can we stop the rumours in January?' and the club have been very good to me with contracts ever since I joined. Nick Hammond, the chairman and the manager have all been good to me and this was done quickly, it wasn't something we'd planned."