The race to sign Coventry midfielder George Boateng is hotting up after a third Premiership club lodged an official bid for the player.

Aston Villa manager John Gregory has made no secret of his admiration for the 23-year-old Dutchman, but it seems that there are also two other clubs working behind the scenes to secure his services.

Sky Blues Chairman Bryan Richardson has revealed that Coventry City today received a £4.5 million offer from a Premiership club for Boateng, which he has already formally rejected.

And Richardson also admitted that Villa’s £4.25 million bid last week had been matched, although he refused to name the other clubs involved in the transfer scramble.

The City chairman’s decision to reject this latest improved offer seems to clearly indicate that he will not discuss any possible move for the highly rated Boateng until someone meets his £5 million valuation.

Villa boss Gregory was quoted during the summer as saying that Boateng was "over-priced and worth closer to £3 million", but his bid last week indicates that they will pay substantially more than that.

Boateng was signed from Feyenoord for £230,000 just 18 months ago, but Richardson is insisting that he will not be beaten down on the player’s price tag.

He said:

"We have received a new offer from a Premiership club and it is the largest offer we have had so far but it has been formally rejected."

Speculation earlier in the summer suggested that Liverpool and Ruud Gullit’s Newcastle United were also tracking Boateng - although neither have spoken about the link.