Coventry City have rejected a £4.25 million bid by Aston Villa for midfielder George Boateng.

Villa boss John Gregory upped the £3 million offer he made for the former Feyenoord player last month but it still falls short of the Sky Blues estimation.

Sky Blues chairman Bryan Richardson handles all sales at the club and we understand that he and City boss Gordon Strachan have formally rejected the bid.

But Villa’s upping of the ante will test City’s resolve and it could be a matter of time before they prise the unsettled player away from Highfield Road.

Strachan said:

"John has his opinion on what the figure should be and I have got mine. I think our chairman’s opinion is quite low but I am only the manager and he has got to do what is right for the club but we will not be railroaded into anything at all.

"I’ve always promised that everybody is for sale at this club – if it’s a cracking deal and the money can be used to improve the team.

"But the move can only be right for the club, the team and the player himself."