COVENTRY City have reportedly told Cherries to return with a bid of £2.5million for Callum Wilson as speculation over the sought-after striker's future rumbles on.

The Sunday People yesterday claimed that Sky Blues had slapped the price tag on Wilson's head on the back of a £1million offer from Cherries, followed by an improved attempt to prise away the 22-goal hitman.

Last week, the Coventry Telegraph reported that newly-promoted Championship rivals Brentford and Wolves were ready to instigate a bidding frenzy, while Norwich City - who recently recruited Cherries' top marksman Lewis Grabban - were named as another prospective suitor.

Coventry's development director Steve Waggott publicly stated that four second-tier clubs had submitted enquiries or offers for one of League One's hottest prospects but declared that Wilson was not for sale.

Cherries boss Eddie Howe has a long-standing policy of not commenting on transfer speculation, but in an overview of the club's general activity last week said: “We are actively looking for players and have made bids. We have been working hard over the summer to try to secure our top targets.

“I have always said that we wouldn't be looking to bring in huge numbers but we are looking for quality. Dan Gosling highlights the type of player we are looking for and, hopefully, we can add others to the squad.

“It is difficult with everyone competing for such a small pool of players but we are confident we will have our squad in place, and the one we want to move forward with, before the season starts.

“It is difficult to predict a time frame. I have always been a firm believer that you get the right players and you don't just get numbers. A lot of Championship clubs have added numbers to their squads and that is the way they work.

“We like to identify players we want and will try to pursue them until such time as we sign them or they go elsewhere.”