£9m price tag for Reo-Coker

West Ham have set a valuation of £9m for Martin O'Neill's long-running transfer target.

Boss O'Neill is prepared to pay £7m for the England under-21 captain and the Hammers insist they have had no second bid for the 23-year-old.

The Londoners are also expecting interest from Manchester City, where Sven Goran Eriksson – a a confirmed Reo-Coker admirer after selecting him in an England squad – is set to be unveiled as new manager shortly.

O'Neill now has to decide whether to pay an inflated price or risk losing his coveted midfielder.

It means Villa must pay close to their record outlay – currently £9.5m for Juan Pablo Angel, a figure which could be challenged by the £9.65m Ashley Young could eventually cost.

O'Neill has greeted the latest twist by today insisting Villa will sign players soon.

And after allowing right-back Aaron Hughes to join Fulham yesterday for £1m – the fifth departure of the summer – O'Neill is close to signing a right-back.

Charlton's Luke Young and Bayern Munich defender Philip Lahm are believed to be his main targets for the No 2 role after loanee Phil Bardsley rejoined Manchester United while Mark Delaney is out of contract at the weekend.

O'Neill would still like Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips after failing with a loan bid in January, when the player was keen to come.

But he may have to wait for Chelsea to sign a replacement as they wait on a reported £12m bid for Lyon's Florent Malouda.

The eye-catching capture of Wright-Phillips could pave the way for the departure of Steven Davis, who today admitted for the first time he may have to leave Villa for regular football.

O'Neill said: "We're looking to strengthen the squad in the next month and we want to be in a position where we can challenge.

"But I don't want to talk about who those players are, because we seem to have been linked with almost everybody.

"Supporters can rest assured we'll be strengthening and we'll let them know as soon as there's anything to report."

As reported in the Express & Star last month, Villa are prepared to allow Davis to leave and the one-time golden boy today confirmed he may have to move.

Davis, who is wanted by Fulham, said: "If I have to move to play regularly, then that's what I have to do.

"I'm waiting to go back to pre-season on Wednesday and I'll have a chat with Martin O'Neill and see what he's got to say.

"If I'm wanted, then I'll have a decision to make and if not, then I'm going to have to move. My agent's been speaking to a few clubs and I'm waiting to hear back."