Reading FC to sign defender to help with the relegation run-in
Interim Reading FC manager Paul Ince says he will look to sign a defender on a free transfer as the Royal look to shore up their defence.
The former England captain has inherited a depleted squad with only four fit defenders at this disposal.
Left-back and Chelsea loanee Baba Rahman is set to be out for six weeks after hobbling off during the 3-2 win at Preston North End last weekend.
Scott Dann remains absent with a hamstring problem while Liam Moore was loaned out to Stoke City on January transfer deadline day.
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Paul Ince said: "The fans stuck with the team on Tuesday and as a player, you want the fans on side.
"They know it's a tough job. They know we've got 17 players - we had three kids on the bench, four [senior] defenders and that's it.
"Baba is out for six weeks so the back four we had was all we had until we get in maybe a free transfer."
The Royals' movements in the transfer market are restricted by a transfer embargo which was revealed last summer after the Select Car Leasing club posted losses well above those allowed by the league.
The restrictions were imposed on Reading and eight other English Football League club, and expected to impact on the club for 18 months meaning any transfer move has to be approved by the League.
Paul Ince secured a 2 - 1 win over Birmingham City at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday night and will play Blackpool away on Saturday as they bid to build a buffer between themselves and the relegation zone.
Ince's first victory as interim manager follows the win secured by his predecessor Veljko Paunovic against Preston North End last weekend which saw the Serbian leave the club by mutual consent shortly afterwards.
Reading FC sits eight points above Derby County at the top of the relegation zone and are five points behind Hull City who have played one game more.
Paul Ince said: "The fans were brilliant on Tuesday night. At the end of the day, we can't stay in this league without the Reading fans, it's as simple as that.
"They are our 12th man and we need them, as much as I need my players. We need the fans to make Reading a tough place to come to but to not win in four months…you can understand their feelings.
"Hopefully, we can improve now. I'm not one to get carried away. I've been long enough to know not everything is hunky-dory because there is a lot of work we need to do."
"So it's a tough challenge for everybody, but as long as we try and stick together and have the support from our fans, then we have got a great, great chance [of staying up]."
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