Striker Michael Chopra is Cardiff City's �4m record-signing
Cardiff City chief executive Gethin Jenkins has warned off potential bidders for striker Michael Chopra.
Ipswich Town have apparently had a £3m offer rejected for the 21-goal star and the Championship rivals are thought to be preparing for upping the bid to £4m.
But Cardiff insist they have had no bid for their £4m record-signing and chief Jenkins has issued a hands-off warning.
Malaysian investors have injected £6m into the debt-ridden club and Jenkins insists Cardiff "don't need to sell."
Cardiff survived a winding-up order at their fifth High Court appearance after paying their £1.9m debt to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs following the recent investment from a Malaysian consortium.
The Welsh club, who missed out on Premier League promotion after their 3-2 Championship play-off final defeat to Blackpool, still have an estimated £30m debt.
But their tax settlement ensures the transfer embargo hanging over them has now been removed - and Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton will be their first signing for 10 months when he joins Cardiff on 1 July.
We're not in a position where we need to sell. Michael Chopra is contracted to us and the reports of the bid is just speculation
Cardiff City chief executive Gethin Jenkins
The Malaysian consortium, led by new club chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee and backed by billionaire businessman Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, has bought 30% of Cardiff's shares and have seemingly stabilised the financially-troubled club.
So new chief Jenkins insists the Bluebirds do not to sell their stars such as Chopra, whose current Cardiff contract is until the summer of 2012, and strike partner Jay Bothroyd - especially when out-of-contract Wales midfielder Joe Ledley is expected to leave.
"We're not in a position where we need to sell," Jenkins told BBC Sport.
"With the new investment we're building a strong platform to go forward.
"And Michael Chopra is contracted to us and the reports of the bid is just speculation."
Chopra is in his third stint in South Wales in in his two full seasons at Cardiff the 26-year-old scored 22 goals during the 2006/07 campaign before his £5m move to Premier League Sunderland and 21 in his first season back in south Wales.
One of Cardiff manager Dave Jones' priorities is not just adding to his squad now the transfer ban is lifted but keeping his star players like former England under-21 international Chopra.
But Jones is also hoping to tie down nine of his stars on new deals as their contracts are due to expire in the summer of 2001.
Talismanic targetman Bothroyd and midfield quartet Stephen McPhail, Gavin Rae, Chris Burke and last season's Championship top-scorer Peter Whittingham are all out of contracts at the end of the season.
While the deals of defenders Adam Matthews, Mark Kennedy, Darcy Blake and Kevin McNaughton also run out in 12 months time.
Jones is currently on a reconnaissance mission in Malaysia searching for potential training facilities and accommodation for his squad on their pre-season tour to the Far East.
But he said: "The first thing is to get players in for next season then negotiate with the players who've only got one year left."
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