‘WE WERE CLOSE’: INCE REVEALS DETAILS ON BID FOR THEO WALCOTT
READING FC boss Paul Ince revealed that the club were close to sealing a deal to bring Theo Walcott to the club.
The former England international, who is currently at Southampton, was keen on joining the Royals, but the clubs were unable to strike a deal in the final days of the summer transfer window.
“We were close to getting a deal for Theo Walcott,” said Ince.
“I spoke to him, had a good conversation.
“He’s got a year left at Southampton and we couldn’t make the figures work which was disappointing because the boy wanted to come.”
Ince admitted that the club are still looking at the free agents market to possibly add to the squad.
He continued: “So it’s now a case of who is out there on a free.
“But it can take four or five weeks to get them (free agents) up to scratch and get them to do what I want them to do.
“The ones we have brought in have done really, really well.
“I’m happy with my first 14 or 15 but I’d like to get some more senior
players in because we’ve still got kids on the bench so we’re restricted and it only takes a couple of injuries for things to go wrong.
“What we managed to get is players who want to fight for the team. Who have desire and want to fight to keep this team in the league.”
Walcott is now 33, and has a wealth of experience having scored more than 100 goals during his 12-year spell at Arsenal after he joined the Gunners as a 16-year-old.
He also scored eight times in 47 caps for England.
Walcott rejoined Southampton, where he started his career, in 2020 on an initial loan deal from Everton before joining permanently the next summer but has fallen out of favour and played just nine Premier League games last season.
Ince also provided an injury update prior to Reading’s postponed match against Watford.
The Royals face Sunderland at home on Wednesday evening (report online at rdg.today) before they travel to face Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
“Shane (Long) has got a problem, it looks like he’s going to be out,” said Ince.
“He has an issue and we will get more detail on that.
“Yak (Yakou Meite) is back training, maybe it is too early to start but he should be back in contention either this week on Wednesday.
“Naby (Sarr) will be another couple of weeks, he won’t be back before Wigan I wouldn’t have thought.
“Ovie (Ejaria) is back in the gym doing some stuff and was on the grass today, but not doing too much.
“So I’m hoping after the international break he will be back.
“Scott (Dann) is out until next year. It will be another two months if we are lucky.”
Ince’s team are third in the Championship table heading into their midweek clash with the Black Cats having won all four of their league matches at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this season.