Ruben Selles: Reading need 'at least 10 more players', says manager
- Published
BBC South's sports editor Lewis Coombes asks Ruben Selles about squad numbers and team ownership
Manager Ruben Selles says Reading need "at least 10" more new players to be competitive in League One this season.
The Royals are playing catch-up after enduring a two-year long transfer embargo, for breaking English Football League financial rules, which limited the players they were able to sign.
The embargo was lifted earlier this month and the club quickly signed strikers Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith.
"We are running out of time," Selles told BBC South Today.
"The transfer embargo is why we are a little bit behind but we are not the first club to be in this situation and we will not be the last.
"We just need to make the very best of the situation and put in the work."
Asked how many more new players the Royals need, Selles added: "At least we need 10 more players right now."
Reading announced Selles was to succeed Paul Ince - who was sacked in April - and become their new first-team manager at the end of June.
But delays to his work visa meant he was unable to take training for two and a half weeks until it was approved.
"It's been an interesting start," added the 40-year-old Spaniard, who ended last season in charge of Southampton.
"From the very first day we had the situation with the embargo and my visa which took longer than expected.
"But we are now revealing the team, so we are very busy, but it is exciting at the same time."
Reading are preparing to take on the rigours of League One after being relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2022-23 season.
It is the first time they will be playing in the third tier in more than two decades.
But the Royals have lost key players Tom Ince, Yakou Meite and Naby Sarr, who all left the club over the course of the summer.
Experienced forwards Lucas Joao and Shane Long were also among six players released by the club.
Selles is confident they will be able to add more depth to the squad in the coming weeks and revealed former England international Theo Walcott has been training with them during pre-season.
"From the first day I spoke with the front office we had some players that we were targeting to bring in," said Selles.
"Some are still available and we are working on them so hopefully we will get our number one or number two options.
"Theo Walcott has been training with us under a special arrangement.
"With us both coming from Southampton he asked me if he could join us at training before we went into camp.
"Theo is looking for a new chapter in his life and whilst he is not still training with us, if he comes and he says he wants to join us, we will listen and to have a player like him would be a pleasure for us - but right now it's nothing."
Reading open their League One season at home against Peterborough on Saturday, 5 August.