Reading boss Steve Coppell is confident of keeping fullback Nicky Shorey beyond the January transfer window.

West Ham saw a £4million bid rejected in August, and since then the former Orient man has been linked with Manchester United.

Coppell is nonetheless optimistic that no Barclays Premier League predator is waiting to pounce as soon as the transfer window opens next month.

"If that was going to be the case there would have been initial stuff by now," he reasoned.