Royals boss backs clubs transfer policy

Reading manager Brian McDermott have defended the club’s transfer policy, with some of questioning the owners intent to stay in the Premier League.

The Royals have spent around £1.5 million so far in this January window, which inludes the signings of Daniel Carrico, Stephen Kelly and Hope Akpan, compared to QPR’s £8 million on Loic Remy. The club have always operated in this manner and McDermott says they will continue to do for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to the Official Reading FC website, Brian said: ‘We’ll do what we do. If there’s something that comes up for us and it’s right and proper, and the owner decides he wants to do that then we’ll have a look at it. People sometimes question our transfer policy – but we do what we have to do and work with the players that we’ve got.’

‘I brought Hope Akpan on and I thought he was fabulous. We spent 300 grand on him and you could see the qualities he’s going to bring to us. He’s 21 years of age and hungry. We paid 300 grand for Adam Le Fondre, and you couldn’t buy his right sock for that now. We bring in the likes of Stephen Kelly, Daniel Carrico – they don’t have to cost five or six million.’

If I had the choice of spending senselessly by trying to stay up or not, I would certainly opt for our policy. You only have to look at the likes of Portsmouth, who have imploded by spending ridiculous money and wages, so I’m not complaining we are spending little, even though a marque signing of around £5 million would be welcomed.