Swindon Town boss Paolo di Canio has spoken of his disappointment at failing to sign City striker Cody McDonald.

Di Canio is reported to have made a “significant bid” for the 25-year-old during the summer, only for the deal to fall through.

“You don’t know because sometimes with the top clubs it is strange,” he said. “With Norwich and Cody McDonald they kept saying yes but in the end it didn’t go through.

“I don’t know, maybe they thought the player deserves to play in a higher league.

“If they come here they can play many games and be a protagonist, whereas in League One or the Championship they may only play a couple of games.”

McDonald scored 25 times in a season-long loan at League Two club Gillingham in 2010-11 and was named the club’s player of the year.

Oldham, Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday have been among the clubs chasing his signature this season, with City boss Paul Lambert making it clear he is not in his plans.

But a move to Hillsborough did not materialise and the Canaries were understood to be the Premier League club Owls boss Gary Megson was referring to when he slammed a “brainless” asking price of �600,000 for one of his targets.