Former Reading star John Salako has been impressed by January signing Hope Akpan.

Salako has faith that Reading's policy of taking on rough diamonds will come good.

He told getreading: "Akpan has come in and given some real solidity in midfield.

"He looks a talent. I saw him a couple of times at Crawley and I spoke to Steve Coppell about him.

"Coppell has always been brilliant at finding hidden gems. That's one of his strengths. That is what Reading has been built on.

"Now they are looking for that next generation of players that will be here for a while."