Reading FC

Reading FC unlikely to sign Iago Aspas this time

By Jonny Fordham
January 18, 2013

Reading target Iago Aspas is expected to stay at Celta Vigo until the end of the season and assess his options in the summer.

The 25-year-old Spanish striker has netted eight goals in 18 La Liga games this season and has an £8.3million buyout clause.

Royals are loathe to jeopardise their own financial footing and have attempted to structure a deal that involves paying in stages.

Valencia are also keen on Aspas, but are not in a position to stump up the cash either. The Spanish club would instead prefer to defer a payment, which would see them save millions in tax on their outlay for the in-demand forward.

But manager Brian McDermott said: “I would be really surprised if Aspas moved in this transfer window.

“He’s been a Celta Vigo player since he was a boy and they’re not looking great in the league.

“The money they are talking about is a fortune. I would be surprised if anyone could do that deal. It’s expensive and a difficult one.

“Steve Head (chief scout) knows him well. I’ve seen him play, our scouts have seen him play and he has had a couple of really good seasons. We know him – but it’s difficult. Generally the deals that we do are not big deals.

“There would have to be some structuring to do. We’ve never done a deal like that. Nick Hammond (Royals’ director of football) would know how it would be structured.”

With Jason Roberts expected to be out for a lengthy spell with an injured hip, Reading are looking at bolstering their attack.

But West Bromwich Albion’s Graham Dorrans, who has been linked with the club, is not an option.

| Submit Comments | View Comments (24)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 24

1 | 2 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

Hold on Ray, are you saying that I am critising RFC? I was just making the comparison between Brian McDermots position in following RFC's policy of "balancing the books" and Mauricio Pochettino reported position at Espanyol.

I think that Brian must find it disppointing to build up an "asset" only to see it sold to keep the company "afloat". But thats a situation that any company manager might find himself in, in any industry. He either accepts the situation and builds his reputation as a good manager, or he leaves to pastures new! (Assuming that he is not sacked in the meantime!)

AngloinParis, Paris, France
19/01/2013 at 08:17

Some of you CRETINS will try to find any stick you can find to criticise Reading.

If you want to trawl the internet to find ammunition to support your viewpoint, Anglo, try Wiki.

The new Southampton manager was sacked by Espanyol last October. 9 points from 13 games. I'll bet Alex Ferguson is Sh**ting his pants.

ray northstander
18/01/2013 at 22:37

I see from the Yahoo sports page that the new Southampton Manager "during his 2009-2012 stint as Espanyol manager, won plaudits for his work in bringing through youngsters from the academy as the club were forced to sell their best players year after year." Now where have I heard that before??

AngloinParis, Paris, France
18/01/2013 at 16:59

I don't think it can be disputed that the board at Southampton appear to have been a bit stupid. It would be funny if they get relegated, which I am sure isn't something in there random long term strategy. Luckily, Reading actually seem to have some morals and I think they have been right to stick with Brian. At least with the snow flights are cancelled which may give us more time to sign Sunzu. Spending £8 million on a random player isn't good business. I am still hoping we have a few million to spend on a hidden gem of the Michu mould.

Smiffy, Reading
18/01/2013 at 16:27

'Generally the deals we do are not big deals'?!

The only 'big deals' we have ever seen at RFC are when our crown jewels have been sold off to fill the black holes.

In the real world and economics of PL and Championship football there has never been a big deal to bring a player in.

HARB
18/01/2013 at 15:09

Let's face it, Reading are unlikely to ever sign any player that costs mpre than a couple of milllion quid up front. They talk of being a big successfull club but all their actions demonstrate otherwise.

They say they don't want to jeopardise their secure financial footing but once again are demonstrating an amazing failure to appreciate that lack of proper financial investment at the right time will jeopardise that financial footing just as much.

So instead of quality signings (you nearly always get what you pay for in every walk of life, including football) we are expected to celebrate the signing of hopefuls from Crawley and honest professionals in the twilight of their careers.

As a consequence it's likely to be welcome back to the Championship, no quick return to the PL and the sale of our most valuable players as well as the best products from the much talked about academy, in order to fill the same black holes that we saw last time around.

Did Madejski really run his other businesses without injecting the amount of investment necessary to secure success?

HARB
18/01/2013 at 15:04

RBC Traffic Management - I hope you are right!!!

Fishlips
18/01/2013 at 14:45

No I'm not ..just querying what is happening at RFC..along with all the rest..

A. XYZ
18/01/2013 at 14:33

@ A. XYZ

Are you saying that just because Southampton have sacked their manager we should sack ours? Because if you are then I think you're being just a little bit premature to say the least. At Southampton Adkins has overseen a big upturn in form over recent weeks and probably most significantly he had succeeded in stopping their defence from leaking goals. Now he has been replaced by someone who will have no immediate rapport with the players, has no experience of managing in the Premier League and who has a less than impressive record of managing in La Liga. If I was a betting man my money would be on Southampton sinking like a stone to the bottom of the league over the next few weeks.

RBC Traffic Management are Useless, Calcot
18/01/2013 at 14:20

As another Premier Manager hits the dole queue just what are Reading doing to get out off this position Southampton 6 points better than Reading only lost 2 in the last 12 and with a creditable draw at Chelsea midweek sack their manager . Here at Reading we have a manager that say's we need players with Premier experience. Half way into the transfer window we sign 1. A Div 1 youngster, 2. A young Portuguese player with limited playing time in the last 6 months and one reasonable defender. Not exactly setting the world alight ..... Me I'd Give Pearce the contract he wants...Ditch Leigertwood, McAnuff and Roberts. Drop Gunnarsson from the 25 man squad and give him a coaching position Then sign a young hungry forward Here's two suggestions Fraser Campbell and DJ Campbell both could do a reasonable job Salary would be a problem maybe but short term 18 month contracts with big bonus at the end off the season for staying up might work...Oh and make sure Sunzu signs before he leave's ...

A. XYZ
18/01/2013 at 14:00

This is from the Sky football. Reading manager Brian McDermott admits he does not expect to sign striker Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo as the Spanish club are demanding a 'fortune' for his signature. McDermott admitted on Thursday that he was still on the lookout for new players despite adding three faces to his ranks this month.

cavlad007
18/01/2013 at 13:48

AC how many have written what you have put here about the same issues, not spending heaps. Being clever with the spending, that is one thing we have not got here this season with our management team.

So lets just see what will happen when we are back in the championship next season with the same squad of players.

Who stays and who goes? Will we have the same manager? Will Hammond go?

cavlad007
18/01/2013 at 13:43

Whilst I agree that £8.3m for a player without PL experience and only half a season la liga experience come to think of it would be a crazy buy.

This IMO shows a lack of ambition from the club, Ive always liked the way RFC is run and long may that continue but the simple FACTS are if RFC want to remain and be competitive in the PL we need to be spending some money.

No Im not talking about spending shed loads, but we need to bringing in qualify players and these quality players are going to cost more than RFC are prepared to spend, to be where they say they want to be. Again IMO we are simply a very good Championship team playing in the PL which is why will we end up relegated. Although I will still be supporting them. URZ!!

AC Loyal Royal, Reading
18/01/2013 at 13:05

areff, At no point in the article does McDermott or anyone else say that Reading were absolutely not prepared to pay the money talked about. Celta Vigo are under no pressure to sell the player now, so obviously, they will not actively market the player, as his goals might keep that club in the Spanish top flight. Should they wind being relegated, however, things could well change in the summer.

T E, The big shot russian was talking in the context of a five year plan. The reason why we are in the bottom two (just above QPR, who spent shedloads in order "to compete") is because we have let far too many goals in, and we have the highest amount of opposition shots on our goal than most top flight teams in all of Europe. That is down to McDermott sticking with a 4-4-2 formation for far too long that makes us far too predictable and easy to play against.

ray northstander
18/01/2013 at 13:04

I knew and I would think that everyone knew that Aspas’s release would cost 8 million so if Reading were not prepared to pay the price why was so much time taken by Brian McDermott and the scouts watching him