Reading boss Paul Ince admits a deal for Southampton attacker Theo Walcott was close last summer.

Walcott is yet to feature for manager Ralph Hasenhuttl this campaign.

"We were close to getting a deal for Theo Walcott," said 54-year-old Ince.

“I spoke to him, we had a good conversation, but he had a year left at Southampton and we couldn't make the figures work which is disappointing because the boy wanted to come. So now it's a case of who's out there on a free."

Any chance of Walcott moving to Reading before January would rely on the termination of his current lucrative Saints contract.