Mark Georgevic came to Bermuda for a holiday but as Shaun Goater's agent he expects to spend much of his time working the phones.

That is because the Premiership striker was given permission by Manchester City to talk to First Division Reading yesterday after the club accepted a bid for the player.

Goater made it clear towards the end of last season that he wasn't prepared to sit on the bench following the arrival of Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler and City manager Kevin Keegan granted the 33-year-old his wish to call it a day as a Blue.

Though several clubs were rumoured to be interested in Goater it had been quiet as far as firm offers were concerned.

But that has all changed now and Georgevic believes the Royals' offer, rumoured to be in the region of ?500,000, could make other teams sit up and take notice. Indeed, sources in England contacted the late last night to say Wigan Athletic boss Paul Jewell was set to make a counter proposal.

Georgevic, who as well as enjoying the Island from his Elbow Beach Hotel base is also talking over some business propositions on behalf of the player, said there was a long way to go before Goater would be turning out for someone other than Manchester City.

"The current situation is that we understand that over the last couple of days Reading have had a bid, that is undisclosed, accepted by Manchester City," he said. "(Shaun) is currently in Denmark and will be until Friday. He will obviously talk to Reading early next week and give it some thought."

Reading are bankrolled by chairman John Madjeski and play in a terrific stadium named after him.

"Clearly, they are an ambitious club," Georgevic said. "They got into the play-offs last season and they are looking, I assume, for Shaun to spearhead their ambitions to achieve Premiership status."

Reading boss Alan Pardew confirmed that assessment yesterday.

"We have a very young side who almost made the Premiership last year and Shaun Goater is the kind of player who can take us that one step further.

"He is very much the type of player that I like - honest, a very good pro, and of course his record speaks for itself."

However, Pardew warned: "As yet we haven't even spoken to the player in terms of his personal requirements, so any deal is still some way from being finalised."

Goater, who played a small part in Tuesday's night's 1-0 defeat in Scandinavia to Odense, was his usual professional self when quizzed.

"I am not considering the offer until the tour is over," he said. "I'm focused on my football and there is a game on Friday night."

Though Reading are clearly in the driving seat at the moment, they may find they have competition over the coming days and weeks.

"Now that a bid has been accepted by Manchester City for his services it is bound to spark some interest from other clubs," Georgevic said. "Maybe from the Premiership and certainly in the First Division."

Whatever happens, Goater has a big decision ahead of him.

"He has got a lot to think about," his agent admitted. "One must recognise that he has got a year left on his contract at Manchester City, that he is well settled in Manchester with his kids and his wife.

"This is a big, big decision and the terms of the offer have got to be right.

"It is a big move and he certainly would not be able to commute from Manchester to Reading. He has never been to the area but I am sure Reading will do whatever they can to make him feel welcome and (assure him) that it is the right move for him."

Goater's salary at Manchester City is, as one would expect, not common knowledge so whether Reading can match his current deal will surely be one of the main obstacles.

"With what has happened in the football world there are very limited budgets for clubs," Georgevic said. "When you are looking at a budget and a deal clearly Reading have got to bear in mind that he has got a year left on his contract. They are paying out a fee for him, I don't know what it is, but that has to form part of the manager's spending budget I'm sure.

"Although it has been speculated by several commentators that he was going to be given a free transfer for the service that he has given to Manchester City, clearly the interest in him is such that clubs have bid for him and Manchester City have now accepted an offer.

"That has got to be factored and taken into account when looking at his personal terms."

One thing is clear, Goater does not want to be looking somewhere else in 12 months time.

"Clearly, the deal has got to be right for Reading and the deal has certainly got to be right for Shaun," Georgevic said. "He certainly wouldn't go for anything less than two years because he has got one year left on his (City) contract."

The new season is but a few weeks away, clubs are finalising their squads and players are well into training. But Georgevic does not believe this will force Goater to make a quick decision.

"The ball is very firmly in Shaun's court now," he said. "He has to decide if it's the right move for him. I am in Bermuda until next Friday and I am sure my phone bill is going to be astronomical.

"Now that a bid has been accepted I am sure that a lot of clubs will think to themselves `can we put together a deal', one that is satisfactory from the club's point of view and from Shaun's point of view.

"It may well flush out other interested clubs but certainly Reading are in pole position."