Reading manager Brian McDermott has revealed that the Championship club went after a trio of quality players late in the winter transfer window.

The Royals managed to bring in the likes of Jason Roberts and Tomasz Cywka in January but were unsuccessful in the pursuit of Wayne Bridge, Keith Andrews and Craig Mackail-Smith according to the boss.

"We missed out on a couple who went to the Premiership, so we're talking about good players," he said.

"We spoke about Wayne Bridge and he went to Sunderland. I spoke to his agent and to Man City, I think we could have done it.

"We'd have paid a small percentage of his wages, but that's gone now, he made his decision and good luck to him.

"Mackail-Smith would be very, very expensive. We investigate a lot of people, we didn't follow through on that one," he added.

"I know Keith Andrews and his agent, we had a conversation but he had the opportunity to go to West Brom on a six-month deal in the Premiership."

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