Reading FC

STRONG AND CLEVER: Iceland international striker Gunnar Thorvaldsson
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He's Gunnar Join in New Year

By Jonny Fordham
November 27, 2009

Gunnar Thorvaldsson is ready to quit the Danish Superliga for Reading in a bid to reignite his career after a successful 10-day trial at Madejski Stadium.

The 27-year-old Iceland international scored twice for the reserves against Bristol Rovers on Wednesday and Royals will look to thrash out a deal over the next few weeks to snap up the Esbjerg striker for around £300,000 in January.

The former Hannover 96 and Halmstads star has been on chief scout Brian McDermott’s radar for several years and Steve Coppell went close to signing him in 2005.

Now it looks like Thorvaldsson’s dream move will come true as Royals are set to follow up their interest.

Boss Brendan Rodgers said: “He’s not available until January so he’s gone back to his club and we’ll look and see what’s possible and see if we can agree a deal in the next few weeks.

“He’s a clever footballer who can play in between the lines and he’s technically strong with a mature footballing brain.

“Gunnar’s a boy that we’ve been looking at over the last couple of weeks. He’s a link striker and he’s done well as a young player.”

Sources close to the player told getreading that the deal was already nearly complete, but Rodgers added that there was little chance he would be handed a transfer war-chest for any new year’s shopping list.

“The reality is there isn’t going to be a load of money. That’s the fact,” explained Rodgers.

“Those days where you can go and spend money are no longer here.

“But there’s still the possibility for activity, I’ll maybe just have to be a wee bit clever and look into loan deals. I don’t think you ever really get the best players in January.

“Any big business is done at the end of the season.”

Rodgers has also been linked with a £1.5million move for Doncaster Rovers’ star midfielder Brian Stock.

Royals’ boss declined to rule out a move for the 27-year-old in the future.

He said: “He’s a very good player, an outstanding player, but he’s a player at another club.

“He’s done very well for Sean O’Driscoll at Doncaster and he’s a full Wales international.

“But I’m not in the business of talking about players at other clubs.

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i see sjm on the website suddenly comes out of the woodwork as a bit of good publicity arises with gilfi signing an extension to his contract. where was he to explain the lack of funding for sa striker earlier this week?

this was another example of him taking the good and leaving br and nh to face the music, wouldn't want him in the trenches with me.

ajr111, swindon
28/11/2009 at 01:14

Jm is not the only one owning a football club, the other owners still manage to find enough to help there club. I know what part JM will be playing in panto at the Hexgon this xmas Scrooge "Hum Bug".

Expom, Christchurch New Zealand
28/11/2009 at 00:07

All these people continually moaning about SJM, can they not see the financial world is in meltdown, all the green shoot merchants are those with vested interests in an improving economy. There is NO recovery. The world is in one hell of a mess still, look at Dubai yesterday. SJM had very little option but to unload the freewheelers on enormous salaries, the wage bill was too large we tried for promotion and narrowly failed last season, it was impossible to try for a second season with the banks knocking at the door. Hunt, Harper etc for a lot of the time were just going through the motions , the team that gained us promotion and performed miracles in the first season in the Premiership was history a new start had to be made. Much better get the finances in order, cull the non triers of last season and revamp the team.

I think Brendan has performed a miracle , we have the basis of a fantastic team which if it stays together can only get better. It should be remembered that Brendan took over a team that for the second part of last season was in relegation form rather than promotion form. A football team is a bit like a large oil tanker , it takes a long time to change direction, our rubbish form of the latter part of last season would have taken any manager some time to turn round.

He made mistakes, he certainly under estimated the task he had taken on, Mick Gooding who I think is a superb judge of footballers and football said before the season began that if Reading finished in the top half of the table it would be a minor miracle, I agreed with that statement then and still think we will do well to finish there now.

fruits, Alicante, Spain
27/11/2009 at 17:29

Brendan Rodgers can do all the fact finding that he wants to do, but at the end of the day he needs money to purchase players. SJM is pleading poverty and says that all his 19 companies are losing money and he is skint MY ARSE. The deadline has now gone for loan players and guess what we didnt get one, all the Reading fans will now blame BR but dont forget we have a Director of Football who is incompatant in doing his job so lets look at replacing him first and give BR our backing, I am sure he will come up trumps in the end.

Kenny, Jersey
27/11/2009 at 16:59

Hurrah! Finally Buck is starting to learn. After his arrogant remarks cost us Tommy Smith he is not going wading in over Stock but saying the right things. If he can carry on learning there is hope for us yet.

Pete50
27/11/2009 at 16:04

My predictions for 2010. Reading spend no money January transfer window. BR secures Reading a top half finish but probably not in the playoffs. Having worked wonders at Watford he has performed now at Reading. No parachute payments for the next year so no money. BR offered job by ambitious club - the board negotiates a compensation package and he is allowed to leave. M Mouse offered job and signs 5 year deal - just in case he is succesful and more compensation available!

Support the manager and the players throughout all these troubled times. The club is saleable - at the right price

Take a Chill Pill!
27/11/2009 at 13:23

“Those days where you can go and spend money are no longer here"

Those days have never been here!!!

Yes we've spent a few quid over the last few years but when you look at the money that has came into the club its not even 10%

David blunkett, stevie wonder and ray charles could SEE we need a striker so why can't SJM see it and give BR what he needs within reason and release a little cash to have bought one in .......

FRED BAINES
27/11/2009 at 13:16

Great!!! So after all the talk we fail to get anyone in on loan. And this with only 1 fit striker. Look at the other teams around us - how come they were able to do deals? I have actually started to feel sorry for Brenda as I am sure this all comes down to SJM and his bunch of clowns. I just hope somehow we are not too far out of sight by January. Gutted!

Danny Royal, Reading
27/11/2009 at 13:15

"I'm not in the business of talking about players at other clubs" It looks like Brendan has finally learnt something from the Tommy Smith debacle. Big Bev.

big bev, reading
27/11/2009 at 12:27

Absolutely brilliant! So Madejski's cloth cutting now means that we have to go through all of the vitally important Christmas and New Year period with one striker who the manager says struggles to make two games in a week and two others who are both currently recovering from injury and weren't exactly slamming goals in on a regular basis before they got injured!