NIGEL Adkins hopes to sign at least two more players this summer, the Chronicle can reveal.

Royals' boss has already landed Royston Drenthe, Wayne Bridge and Danny Williams and he wants a couple more additions to complete his jigsaw.

Celtic's �8 million-rated Gary Hooper is thought to be top of Adkins' wish list. The 25-year-old is believed to have held talks with the club several weeks ago, but Royals face stiff competition from Premier League duo Norwich City and Hull City.

Ex-Reading youth team striker Charlie Austin, 23, is another potential target following earlier links in January while 29-year-old free agent Nicky Bailey is also on the radar having left Middlesbrough.

In addition, sources say Southampton strikers Billy Sharp and Ricky Lambert as well as Fulham's ex-Royals midfield enforcer Steve Sidwell are attracting Reading's interest.

Adkins is eager to strengthen up front having lost Noel Hunt who has signed for Brian McDermott's Leeds United.

Chief executive Nigel Howe confirmed: "There are another couple of positions we would like to improve, but only at the right price.

"We're trying to move that on and we will see what happens."

Under owner Anton Zingarevich Reading, who released 11 players in the summer including Ian Harte, Nicky Shorey, Jay Tabb and Hunt, do not need to sell players to raise cash for transfers, as they did in the past.

Chronicle-sponsored 2013 Player of the Season, Adam Le Fondre, is being linked with West Brom while Alex McCarthy, Jimmy Kebe and Hal Robson-Kanu are attracting top-flight interest.

Reading could also be looking to offload Pavel Pogrebnyak as the Russian striker has a relegation clause in his contract.

And Howe confirmed that some members of the first-team squad could be seeking moves in the weeks ahead.

"Anton doesn't want to discard our best players unless there's a deal which offers excellent value or a player wants to leave," he added.

"There are one or two players who probably see themselves playing at higher level, and why shouldn't they?

"You've got to recognise that from time to time it's in everyone's interests to let a certain player go.

"We've done it over the years and fans are not always happy about it when we do. But the fact is you can't keep players who do not want to be here."