Phil Parkinson, the Bradford City manager, has his “fingers crossed” that the Sky Bet League One side can keep hold of striker Nahki Wells when the transfer window reopens next month.

Wells further enhanced his reputation when he struck a last-gasp free kick to help Bradford salvage a draw against league leaders Leyton Orient at the Coral Windows Stadium on the weekend.

The 23-year-old has been the subject of transfer speculation recently, with Queens Park Rangers, the Championship leaders, rumoured to be keen on securing his services.

City, however, are understood to be willing to offer Wells a lucrative extension to his existing deal, which has 18 months still to run.

The club remain in the promotion picture and Parkinson admits that he is desperate to keep his best players, such as Wells, at the club.

“I’ve said all along that I want to keep our best players at the club,” he told the Bradford Telegraph & Argus.

“I want to do that and improve on what we’ve got because we’re in a tough division.

“It’s very, very competitive and, ideally, I don’t want to weaken what we’ve got.

“My hope is that there’s not a level of offer for him which the board will accept, and we can keep him.

“I’m also realistic. If there is an offer that is so good for him and the club, we might have to look elsewhere, but my thoughts are that, fingers crossed, we can keep him.”

Wells has declined to comment on reports linking him with a move away from Bradford.

Parkinson’s willingness to keep Wells at the club contradicts recent reports in the English media claiming that Bradford are willing to sell him to QPR for £3 million during the January transfer window.

He was also linked with a move to QPR during the previous transfer window.

Wells scored his fifteenth goal of the season at the weekend to earn a point for City, who are seventh in the league table.

“It was a top-class free kick, but he practises those,” Parkinson added. “They don’t come overnight. He’s worked at that ever since he’s been at the club.”

Bradford are away to fifth-placed Peterborough United on Saturday.