Stam praises work of Royals’ new owners

READING v BRISTOL CITY SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP MADEJSKI STADIUM SATURDAY, 3PM

JAAP STAM has praised the work of Reading’s new owners after a busy transfer window came to a close.

Royals added seven new faces during the summer, spending an estimated £17 million along the way, including the club record signing of Fulham forward Sone Aluko.

And while Stam admits he would like to have added another striker before the deadline, he feels Dai Yongge and Dai Xiu Li have showed their ambition during their first transfer window in charge of the club.

“I’m very happy with the owners in what they’ve done towards the squad,” said the manager.

“We spoke about what we needed and who to bring in and they’ve done very well.

“You’re always greedy and you can say maybe we need one more. But I think you can say we’re very happy with what the owners, Ron (Gourlay) and Brian (Tevreden) have done in getting these players in.

“You can see that everybody is very committed to the club in what they want to do, what we eventually want to achieve and hopefully in having another chance of ending up in that top six.”

He added: “The amount that was in the papers that we paid for Aluko wasn’t the truth. It was not that much.

“Last season when we started, we said that eventually we want to go to the Premier League. It’s what I want to do and what the owners want to do as well.

“They really go for it and that’s very important.

“We’re still not doing the same thing as other clubs in investing in players and paying certain amounts.

“I think gradually maybe we go there within the years, but the first transfer market for the new owners, they’ve done very well.”

Director of football Tevreden and chief executive Gourlay were working hard up until around 10pm on deadline day to try and conclude more deals, but in the end settled for seven.

Among the names in the mix to arrive were Norwich City striker Nelson Oliveira and also Chelsea youngster Kyle Scott.

But Stam explained why neither were completed.

“Oliveira was the type of player who was very good for us, but he was just too expensive,” said the boss.

“Kyle Scott is a name that’s been mentioned.

“But we need to look at the players we have already within the squad. If you’re going to bring in a player from Chelsea, what does Chelsea want. Does he need to play, does he need to be in the squad? Can he adapt to the system we play straightaway?

“You don’t want to bring players in just for the sake of it.

“He is a player that was on the list, but not to bring him in straightaway.”

While the window is shut to prevent any more transfers or loans until January, clubs can still sign free agents.

But Stam is wary of going down that route.

“It is a possibility,” he admitted. “But we’re only going to be bringing players in who are really going to be making us better.

“He really needs to be fit and he needs to be a really good player. We’re not just taking players because they are free and have been good in the past.

“If you’re talking about players who are free agents now, maybe you should put your question mark with that as well. How is it possible you’re still a free agent and don’t have a club yet? “We’re not worried. We still have a quality squad.”

Stam’s charges are boasting a near full bill of health for the visit of Bristol City.

Yann Kermorgant (hip surgery) is still two weeks away, while John Swift (hamstring) will miss out, but both are on the verge of returning to training while Jordan Obita could feature on Saturday.

“It’s a difficult team that we’re going to be facing,” said Stam.

“They’re doing well so it’s not going to be easy. We still need to give everything if we want to have a result.

“We really need to work hard and dig in deep to get a result and that starts on Saturday.”