McNulty completes Reading move as Coventry eye Chaplin as replacement

As revealed by The News yesterday, the Sky Blues have earmarked the 21-year-old Worthing-born talent as the ideal replacement for McNulty, who scored 23 goals in 42 league games for Mark Robins' side after arriving from Bradford in 2017.

And following news that the Scot has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the Madjeski Stadium, after joining for a fee believed to be around £1m plus add-ons, Coventry are in need of attacking reinforcements for their first season back in League One.

Chaplin has been identified as someone who could fill that void as he enters the final 12 months of his existing Fratton Park contract '“ yet it is understood no bid has been made.

The forward struggled for game time last season at Pompey, starting only 13 games in manager Kenny Jackett's maiden season on the south coast.

He featured just three times in the final 11 fixtures and failed to make the 18-man squad in two of the last eight matches.

Of his 121 outings for the club so far, 85 have arrived from the bench, yet he still has managed 25 goals.

Chaplin scored twice in the Blues' 4-1 victory over Cork City in Ireland on Monday night '“Pompey's opening game of their pre-season programme.

Jackett's side return to action today when they travel to the Hawks (12.30pm kick off).