Reading boss Steve Coppell admits he's looking to buy during the January market.
"Every signing you make is a gamble but it is amazing how the more you pay the less of a gamble it is - and you want the odds stacked in your favour as much as possible.
"We have scouts all over the place and a refined network trying to isolate the players we think could help us. I always say it is a fairly limited market that we work in because of the perception of Reading but it is amazing how money talks. It can be very persuasive on occasions.
"We might have to pay more than the going rate for a few people to make ourselves stronger, better and more resilient in this league."