Reading FC manager Paul Ince described the January transfer window as the ‘dullest’ he has had as a manager.
With the club being under a transfer embargo, the Royals managed to bring in just one signing with the acquisition of Cesare Casadei on loan from Chelsea.
“It was probably the dullest transfer window I’ve had in my life as a manager,” said Ince.
“Everyone wants to get excited about it, but we didin;t have anything to get excited about because we couldn’t really do anything.
“We tried to take a couple out but it wasn’t to be so it was boring for me.”
Despite it not being an active window for the Royals, Ince was delighted to bring the 20-year-old midfielder in from Chelsea.
“We’ve got a player that Chelsea think the world of, we’ve got a good player.
“He speaks good English which helps to settle in. You can see the lift in the players when someone comes in like that.
“It’s a tough one. He’s played U23 games but the Championship is very different with how demanding it is so I’m half thinking whether I put him in or not.
“He’s only 20 and might be one where he needs a few minutes in the game to feel his way in rather than throw him straight in.
“You look at other Championship clubs bringing players in and improving and we’ve been standing still and I don’t like to stand still.
“As a manager you want to keep improving, bring new faces in and have more competition so it’s disappointing. But we couldn’t do it and we are where we are.
“The next 18 games will be tougher because teams have gotten stronger. We’ve not had the luxury to do that but we knew the restrictions and have to get on with it.”
