Iceman: Royals best for kids

Anthony Smith • Published 22 Jul 2010 15:00 0 Comments

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IVAR Ingimarsson has told Reading's youngsters they are in the best place to develop their careers.

Speculation has been rife that 20-year-old Player of the Season Gylfi Sigurdsson has been attracting interest from Premier League sides.

It is also rumoured that top-flight and foreign clubs have been watching Jem Karacan, Simon Church and Shane Long. Sigurdsson, who smashed 20 goals from midfield last season, has since penned a bumper three-year deal at the Madejski Stadium.

But Royals must weigh up all bids that come in as they attempt to balance the books following the end of parachute payments.

However, when to comes to career development, Ingimarsson insists there is no place like home.

"You find every season when a team finishes well that clubs will be looking at your players," argued the 32-year-old centre-back.

"Reading have a lot of talented youngster and some excellent individuals so there is always going to be interest in those.

"It's all a question of what that player wants to do which can be a hard decision for the younger ones.

"But the good thing is they know they will be given time to develop and play regular games at Reading where they may not get that elsewhere."

Royals boss Brian McDermott has admitted he is "unlikely" to make any further signings in the summer transfer window.

So far the club have signed Andy Griffin from Stoke City for around £250,000 and Marcus Williams on a free from Scunthorpe United.

Two players have also left following Marek Matejovsky's £600,000 switch to Sparta Prague plus Kalifa Cisse's £500,000 move to Bristol City where he will be reunited with former Reading boss Steve Coppell.

But fit-again Ingimarsson suggested: "It has been quiet because of the World Cup but I think it will start to gather speed later this month. I think we will see activity across all of the leagues.

"I can't see clubs making crazy signings, but it doesn't necessarily have to involve lots of money, there could be free transfers and loans.

"I don't know what will happen with us but there are changes every year. The manager has already brought in a couple of signings and I'm sure he's looking at other options and waiting to make a move.

"There hasn't been a lot of movement yet, though the most important thing for me is to keep the momentum we gained over the second half of last season then add to it if we can, rather than let players go."

It is thought manager Brian McDermott would like to sign another centre-back to complete his jigsaw with fresh links to Blackburn Rovers' Zurab Khizanishvili who played 15 games for Reading on loan last season.

But Royals' boss has since admitted he does not have the cash to fund a deal.

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