Bradford remain hopeful of signing Willy Topp despite refusing to meet the £55,000 compensation fee demanded by his Chilean club Universidad Catolica.
The striker, 21, has impressed in training at City, and joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes are ready to fund a move if the price is right.
Lawn told the Telegraph & Argus: "We've put a bid back in which is reasonable.
"(City boss) Stuart McCall has used up his budget but Julian and I are willing to put our hands in our pockets again."
606: DEBATE
Should City break budget for Topp?
City have not paid to bring a player to the club since signing Andy Tod from Dunfermline for £100,000 in November 2001.
But the Bantams may break their budget to keep the Chilean under-21 international, who has been training at Valley Parade for the last month and scored on his debut in a reserve-team game.
Lawn continued: "Everybody realises that Willy is a good footballer but he is not worth that fee plus his pay package.
"We negotiated Willy's wages on the assumption he was on a free and if we had to pay that sort of money, we'd have to renegotiate and I don't think Willy would accept it then.
"But it's not dead in the water - we might get Willy back in January on a long-term loan deal."
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Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:16 pm