Royals landed Glenn Murray on loan from Crystal Palace minutes before Monday’s 11pm deadline closed.

The 30-year-old striker became boss Nigel Adkins’ fifth summer signing after Anton Ferdinand, Jamie Mackie, Simon Cox and Oliver Norwood.

But the Chronicle can reveal Reading also failed to get two further transfers over the line, even though one of the players had completed a medical.

Royals director of football Nick Hammond said: “We attempted to sign a player from abroad over the weekend. He was having a medical when another club came in for him so the player didn’t complete.

“We had a few instances like that. We also had a deal in place for another player and that was very close to going through when he disappeared to a Premier League club.

“That’s what happens when you do deals late in the transfer window and that’s why it’s always better to do them early. Unfortunately, we weren’t in a financial position to do them early at Reading.”

Royals were at a major disadvantage to their rivals in the race to sign players due to the club’s ownership problems earlier this summer.

Anton Zingarevich’s failed takeover left Royals £21 million in debt and a self-imposed transfer embargo was put in place.

Reading were also forced to sell Adam Le Fondre to Cardiff City for £2.5 million in order to settle an outstanding tax bill.

Five senior players - Jobi McAnuff, Mikele Leigertwood, Kaspars Gorkss, Stuart Taylor and now-retired Wayne Bridge - were also released at the end of last season to ease the wage bill.

However, the embargo was lifted when a Thai consortium led by Khunying Sasima Srivikorn agreed to purchase 90% of the club from Sir John Madejski for around £26 million, wiping out the debt in the process.

Srivikorn and her partners, who include Samrit Bunditkitsada, have since provided Adkins with substantial transfer funds, though Hammond explained that getting players in was far from easy.

“We only came into the transfer window in the last couple of weeks and, at that point, it was getting to a crazy stage,” he declared.

“We had targets at the start of the summer we wanted to pursue but we were not in a position to get them at the time.

“By the time we were involved they had disappeared to other clubs. Things had changed again and you have to adapt.

“It becomes harder to find players who fit into the club, the team and the budget. It’s more difficult as you get closer to the end of the window and it all becomes a bit crazy.”

He added: “Having done this for so long it was one of the craziest transfer windows I have ever known in terms of prices and the cost of players.

"We simply couldn’t afford to be in it. Other club’s may feel differently but that’s our view.

“When you throw everything else into the mix that has happened this summer then I’m pretty pleased with the business we have done.”

Reading are without a fixture this weekend due to the international break and return to action on September 13 when they host Fulham at Madejski Stadium.