JOSE Gomes confirmed Reading FC hope to sign ‘at least one more player’ before the transfer window closes.

Royals boss also told today’s pre-match press conference that up to ‘five or six’ more players could leave before the end of the month.

Dave Edwards, Josh Sims, Pelle Clement and Adrian Popa departed Madejski Stadium recently while David Meyler, Marc McNulty and Vito Mannone have been told they can go.

Sporting Lisbon are thought to be keen on Tiago Ilori while Wigan Athletic have been linked with Tyler Blackett.

Gomes has already made two signings this week after landing Liverpool’s Ovie Ejaria, 21, and Chelsea’s Lewis Baker, 23 on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

Both are in contention for Saturday’s home clash against Nottingham Forest as Royals look for a first win in 12 matches (3pm ko).

It is believed Gomes also wants to bring in a new striker, while reports say Manchester United keeper Joel Pereira is on his way to Reading to replace Mannone.

Gomes covered a range of other topics including Championship survival, squad mentality, injuries, his new signings, Sone Aluko, appointing a new sporting director and who exactly is signing players at the moment – plus much, much more.

Jose Gomes on turning results around:

“Creating, more possession, more corners, more chances. But if you don’t score you get zero.

“On Saturday we need to play the same way, with the same happiness and to see players enjoying their football and showing fight like they did in the previous game.

“Supporters realise we played well and we must give them the result we need to turn our situation around.”

Is squad good enough to get out of trouble?:

“The players showed in the previous match and the first half at QPR they have the quality to do it – but we need to score and this point is missing.

“Sometimes we create a situation, take one touch too many or make the wrong pass. We are building, it’s just the final touch. Players need to feel the taste of putting the ball in the net. We must show a killer instinct in the next match.”

Possibility of signing a striker in January:

“Usually it’s a striker who has this killer instinct and we are trying to find the best solution to the problem we have.”

Saturday’s opponents Nottingham Forest:

“They have a very good squad and talented players. They have a very organised coach with a lot of experience.

“He knows how to organise a team who don’t leave space between the defensive and midfield line and they are dangerous on the counter attack. They can be dangerous against any side in this league. It will be a difficult game so we must be patient with the ball to find the gaps and stop them playing.”

Are players mentally tough enough?:

“I am sure the players will achieve what we want. Even in the situation we are in and under pressure near the bottom of the table they ask for the ball and want the ball. They want to play and fight.

“The way they are playing gives us confidence we are moving the right way. We don’t just want more possession – ball possession for the sake of it is nothing. The idea is to move the ball to make the opponent make a decision. In that moment you create space.

“If the opponent is in front of us you have two choices – to kick directly towards the goal or find space with the ball at your feet. I choose to control the game with the ball at our feet. You need patience but also confidence.

“In the last match Manchester United beat us 2-0, but they didn’t take our confidence. After the match, our players felt the result could have been different given the goal situations we created.

“The biggest mistake we can make is to change this idea completely and try and find the goal a different way. We would lose everything including our confidence. We are in a good way, and of course we have ‘Plan B’ in case.”

On this season’s struggles:

“If we keep looking to the past we will lose the future. We must take the time we have right now with both hands. We have the opportunity right now to get three points in our stadium and we must give our life to get this.”

On signing Lewis Baker and Ovie Ejaria, their chances of playing this Saturday and need for current players to step up:

“They are able to be in the squad, we will see. They are good players who can play the kind of football we want to play. They can help the team but they are new players. Even if we bring more players in they are not the solution.

“The solution must come from the players who started the season. We cannot move 25 players on, we can move two, three, four, I don’t know.

“If the players who started the season stay in their comfort zone and think the new players will resolve our problems, it will be a big mistake. The problem must be solved by the players who are already here. They are part of the problem but they will be the solution.”

On signing more players in January and players leaving:

“Yes, I expect to bring in one player. I don’t like big squads but if you ask if I would like one more player, I would.”

Tyler Blackett and Leandro Bacuna being available: “They can be in the squad, yes.”

Bacuna pictured in New York on Wednesday: “He trained today. New York is a nice city.”

Links to Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira:

“In this period rumours are normal. But we lose time if we start talking about rumours. When things are I in our hands we can talk like we can about Lewis Baker and Ejaria because they are here. We keep our focus on the things that are really important.”

Players returning from injury: “Hopefully Jon Dadi Bodvarsson will be on the list.”

Saied Ezatolahi: “He’s injured. I don’t know how far away he is but I will get a report.”

On maximum of five loan players:

“If we have a problem we will contact his club, but right now there isn’t.”

Jordan Obita update:

“He has an appointment tomorrow and again it’s better if the medical department makes a clear report to let supporter and journalists who ask about him. I don’t have any problem with that.”

On Paul McShane: “He’s in the rehab process and is making process.”

On Tiago Ilori:

“He jumped with Lukaku and it was a heavy landing. But he’s training now an able to play.”

On Josh O’Shea: “He’s not ready he had a problem during the warm up.”

On using the loan market:

“We are talking about players who like to play our kind of football and they are really motivated to work. Before they arrive I talked to the board and I’m sure they will give the maximum they can which will be very good for us.”

Lewis Baker and Ovie Ejaria have had mixed success on loan at other clubs this season:

“They have the quality to help the team. I know from the conversations we’ve had they will help us with their technical ability and physicality.

“Both can play in a lot of positions in the middle like numbers six, eight and 10. Now I have a good problem in which players to pick. Maybe some matches one of these players will be out of the team, but these are good problems. This is why the manager’s life is not easy.”

On Sone Aluko’s performance at Old Trafford:

“If he plays like a winger he much work much more defensively to cover the full back. In the middle he touches the ball a lot more times. For Aluko, football food is the ball and touching it often. In the middle, he is participating more.

“I think we can get more from Aluko if he plays down the middle. If he plays as a winger we need to give him that freedom to move inside. He hasn’t played a lot this season, but I like a lot what he did against Manchester United in the second half.”

The rise of Andy Rinomhota:

“He has a fantastic work capacity, he gives everything he has for the team. If I was a Reading supporter watching him from the stand I would have the same opinion. He’s a player everybody likes to watch. He makes mistakes, of course, and maybe technically there are better players. But h gives everything. Even when he played right back on Saturday he gave everything and managed to stop Marcus Rashford which is not easy.”

Sam Smith’s future: “We are trying to have a look then make a decision next week.”

Players being expelled from the first-team squad, canteen and physio room:

“I must clarify our rules at the club. Even if I don’t like something, I cannot say it to you (the reporter). We must resolve problems inside the club and the family group, and not outside. For me it is not a problem, nothing.”

Vito Mannone’s future at Reading: “He’s a club player.”

On January transfer window:

“We cannot lose focus on the game, training sessions and how the players are feeling. At the same time we must look at a lot of players. Agents send a name of a player to a club who pass it to the technical staff.

“The scouting department is working very hard right now. I don’t know how they have time to sleep with the number of names they are receiving. We have good staff here and professional people. The only chance of moving in the right way is to work with these people.”

Plans to appoint a director of football to replace Brian Tevreden:

“My intention is not to bring someone in to fill this position. If the club decide to do that I think it should be someone from within the club.

“I am the manager and I like to focus on the players I have, to prepare them and to make them better for the future. If they do bring in a sporting director, it would be good, for sure, but I am not concerned with that. We are already working closely with the technical staff and analysts.”

On who signed Lewis Baker:

“It’s not my signing, the club’s signing or Nigel Howe’s signing, it’s Reading’s signing. If you start to split up the departments it’s a disaster.

“It was the club’s decision and it doesn’t matter who signed the player. The important thing is he’s a good player. We have brought in two very good players this week and hopefully we’ll bring in one more.”

How many more players will leave this window: “Maybe five or six.”

On starting games badly:

“I’m sure this will not happen again this season. I saw the players’ faces against Swansea in the first half (lost 4-1) have disappeared, they are not here any more.”