PAUL Clement wants to add two new strikers to his Reading FC squad as he looks to revamp his attacking options ahead of next season.

Reading’s five first-team strikers managed just 12 league goals between them in a bitterly disappointing season last time around.

Chris Martin has returned to Derby County and Joseph Mendes has left the club after his contract expired, meaning only Yann Kermorgant, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Sam Smith remain.

Clement has been linked with a host of potential targets, most recently Coventry City's Marc McNulty.

Unconfirmed reports also suggest inerest in Brondby’s Teemu Pukki and CSKA Sofia’s Fernando Karanga.

The 46-year-old refused to be drawn on specific names, but he did reveal: “We move into a critical period now where we’re looking to do something in the striker position.

“Hopefully that’ll be more than one player. We have been working all summer on this.

“Now we start to deal with players where transfer fees are involved and it starts to get a bit more complicated.

“But we’re very confident that we are going to bring in one or two really good players in the centre-forward position.”

Reading Chronicle: Marc McNulty shoots narrowly wide for City against Fleetwood before later being forced off with a dead leg – Picture: Thomas Gadd

Coventry striker Marc McNulty, here in action for Bradford while on loan.

Other strikers linked with a potential move to Berkshire include Barnsley’s Tom Bradshaw and Genoa’s David Milinkovic, who is also wanted by his former loan club, Hearts.

Nottingham Forest forward, Billy McKay, and former Manchester City and Stoke City midfielder, Stephen Ireland, have also been interesting Royals.

Clement has already added John O’Shea, Andy Yiadom and David Meyler to his first-team squad, all on free transfers.

And the former Real Madrid assistant confirmed bringing in some fresh blood up front is now his main transfer focus.

He continued: “I was pleased that we got some early business done. We have to be realistic in terms of budget and Financial Fair Play.

“I think we will bring in players that will make us competitive.”

Royals had been heavily linked with Peterborough United’s attacking midfielder, Marcus Maddison.

It is thought League One Posh are holding out for bids in the region of £2.5m for their star man, but Royals’ interest appears to have cooled for the time being.

And when asked if he would pounce for Maddison this summer, Clement replied: “It’s really difficult for me to say. We can go through the list and I can just say no comment. It would be unfair on the player and the team that he’s playing at.

“I’m sure on that list there will be some players that we’re very interested in and some that I don’t even know.

“At the moment we’re trying to bring someone into the striker position.”