Reading FC manager Paul Ince still wants to sign new players before the end of the transfer window as the club wait on EFL clearance to sign Naby Sarr.
Despite being under a transfer embargo, the Royals have had a busy summer of recruiting free agents and loan players.
However, there have been frustrations, including the imminent Naby Sarr deal, which the club are still waiting for the English Football League to approve.
“We’re still waiting on Naby (Sarr),” said Ince.
“We’re waiting for the stuff to come through (from the EFL).
“I’m hoping, fingers crossed, that it will be done by next week.”
Sarr has been training with the Royals squad for almost two weeks after he departed Huddersfield Town earlier in the summer.
“We want to get the deal done as quickly as possible.
“With Naby in the side that might allow us to push Tom Mac (McIntyre0 into midfield or left-back which will give us more strength.
“Like when Shane Long joined, he’s not up there fitness wise so as it stands at the moment we need to get him up to that level.
“He needs to be involved in games but we just have to be patient with it.”
The Royals also confirmed the signing of Mamadou Loum on loan from FC Porto last week but are waiting on him getting a working visa before he can feature for the team.
Ince continued: “He’s not got his visa done yet so he needs to go to London.
“Hopefully he will be able to play on Tuesday against Stevenage.
“It’s horrible because you see them in training and think ‘wow look at the size of these guys, they’re good and they’re powerful.’
“It’s just what we need but we can’t get them through at this moment which is very frustrating.
“We’re nowhere near the team we want to be or the squad we want to have and we need to get going with three or four weeks before the window shuts.”