Pogrebnyak cools transfer talk

Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has dismissed speculation linking him with a summer move amid reported interest from West Ham and Southampton.

The Russian striker, who joined the Royals on a four-year deal from Fulham last summer, has been unable to prevent the club's slide into the Premier League relegation places, with seven points currently between them and safety.

West Ham and Southampton are rumoured to be keen on the 29-year-old, with reports suggesting the clubs have held unofficial talks with Reading over the striker.

However, Pogrebnyak has rubbished the speculation and says he will not discuss his future until the end of the season, when he is confident the Royals will still be in the top-flight.

He told Russian website Sport Express: "It's b******t, nonsense. I haven't heard anything about it and I don't want to comment any transfer news until the end of the championship.

"We'll talk everything over with president Anton Zingarevich at the end of the season. But we won't be relegated."

Pogrebnyak has also been linked with a return to Russia with Zenit St Petersburg but, asked what he would do in the event Reading do suffer relegation, he added: "My priority is England."

The striker went on to dismiss reports Rubin Kazan were poised to sign him in the January transfer window.

He added: "It's a nonsense again. Look at my answer for the first question."

Lift

Pogrebnyak believes the arrival of new manager Nigel Adkins will lift the players going into the run-in.

He added: "The new manager, Nigel Adkins, was introduced to us and he had his first training with us.

"He was working with Southampton recently. I think his arrival means a positive feeling for us before the end of the season."