Royals fail in transfer market - again!

Reading manager Brendan Rodgers has been battling through with a maximum of three fit strikers in the past month, since Noel Hunt was ruled out for the season with a knee injury. He also lost Shane Long for last weekends win over Blackpool, and Simon Church went off injured leaving our front line down to the bare bones.


It has been clear that we have been in the market for a striker on loan but after several rejections, director of football Nicky Hammond has declared it 'highly unlikely' that we will do any business before the loan deadline on Thursday. This would leave us to battle through the bust Christmas schedule with a maximum of three strikers before you even consider how long Church may be out for - he won't be involved against Derby on Saturday.


Hammond told the Reading Chronicle, 'I think it is highly unlikely something will happen before the deadline. We have been asking questions about players but they weren't available and we're not bringing players in for the sake of it.'


One of the players who we asked about was Chelsea youngster Fabio Borini, who has made a few first team appearances at Stamford Bridge this season but they also have a shortage of strikers and are reluctant to let him leave at this time.


Gunnar Thordvalsson is expected to join the Royals in January after impressing on loan, but you cannot sign players registered outside of the UK on loan outside of the transfer window.


Its clear Rodger's has his hands tied behind his back when it comes to dealing in the transfer market, which is a shame because another striker would give us the options to really build on the current mini revival. The fact that Mr Madejski still talks about getting promotion this season is nothing short of laughable.

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