READING FC supporters are calling on the club's Thai owners to show more transparency as the search for a new manager continues.

Royals' hierarchy are remaining tight lipped over who the next boss will be following the sacking of Brian McDermott last month.

Reports today suggest an agreement has already been reached with ex-Manchester United defender Jaap Stam and that the 43-year-old Dutchman will sign a two-year contract before the end of the week.

Reading are yet to confirm or deny the rumours, though the Reading Chronicle understands no official announcement is imminent at this stage.

Nevertheless, season-ticket holder Nathan Saleh says there is a lack of communication between the club and increasingly frustrated fans.

Saleh, 33, argued: “This is a very frustrating and confusing period of time for Reading and there is a lot of infighting amongst supporters themselves.

“That's inevitable I suppose as there are so many different opinions out there over who the next manager should be.

“But the main reason there is so much unrest is the Thai owners have been completely silent over the issue.

“Nobody knows who is making the decisions to hire and fire people any more.

“We just don't know who these people are.

“If they would just come out in public and say what they are doing and what their long-term plans are for the club, I think the fans would be happy.”

Pairoj Piempongsant and Brian Tevreden, who replaced Nick Hammond as director of football recently, are the chief men leading the search for the club's next manager.

Stam is good friends with Tevreden as the pair both worked together at Ajax before Stam recently left his coaching role with their reserves side, Jong Ajax.

Unconfirmed reports also say Reading have held talks with ex-Atletico Madrid winger, Milinko Pantic, with Gianfranco Zola, Avram Grant, Phil Parkinson and Gary Rowett other potential targets.

However, Saleh believes Reading should appoint someone with more experience of English football rather than a big-name foreign coach.

“We need a manager who knows the Championship and certainly knows English football,” said Saleh, who lives in Bracknell.

“I don't think Jaap Stam is the answer.

“He's the right sort of character we need and he is a big name which would help to attract big players.

“But he is not experienced enough in English football and the likelihood is we won't have much money to spend on new players anyway.”

The next Reading manager will be the club's fourth in a little over 18 months following the departures of Nigel Adkins (Dec 2014), Steve Clarke (Dec 2015) and now McDermott (May 2016).

But Saleh insists McDermott, whose second stint as Royals boss lasted a mere 161 days, deserved more time and at least one summer transfer window in order to bring new players in.

“I think Brian McDermott should have been given the summer at least and some money to build a new team,” he suggested.

“He inherited a side with six loan signings who we never going to give their everything out on the pitch.

“He needed more time to stamp his mark on the team but sadly it wasn't to be.

“I just hope the club knows what it is doing and that they have someone else lined up.”