Jaap Stam has confirmed he has money available to spend this summer, but admitted Reading cannot compete with some of the spending power in the Sky Bet Championship, reports the BBC.

Reading fell agonisingly short of a Premier League return last season, and Stam will be hopeful of mounting another serious push for promotion next year.

The Dutchman is actively looking to add players to his squad between now and the end of the summer, confirming that money is available for him to spend.

This summer has seen both Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers spend £15m on Britt Assombalonga and Ruben Neves respectively, and whilst Stam is keen to spend money at the Madejski Stadium, he admitted he can’t compete with some of Reading’s rivals.

He said: "There's some money available, but we can't spend £15m like other teams have.

"We're looking for certain players that can make a difference.

"We're still talking with several players and hopefully we can get them done as quickly as possible."

The addition of Pelle Clement started off the summer, and the Dutch youngster has been followed into the Madejski by Vito Mannone and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, with the latter expected to compete with Yann Kermorgant in attack.

Despite the arrival of Bodvarsson, Stam is still keen to bolster his attacking options, with reports last week claiming that Reading were planning to bring two strikers to the Madejski Stadium.

Fulham’s Sone Aluko and Huddersfield Town’s Nahki Wells, are two reportedly on Stam’s radar.

The Verdict

Reading’s failure to match the spending power of some in the Championship is hardly surprising, with not many able to compete with the likes of Boro and Wolves in the transfer market.

Stam’s business so far this summer has been shrewd, and he has added exciting options to a squad that went so close to promotion last season.

The addition of more firepower in attack between now and the end of the summer should see the Royals once again challenge for promotion.

Reading fans… Let us know your thoughts!