Reading are set to have new signing Mamadou Loum available for tonight's Carabao Cup clash against Stevenage after being granted a work visa, according to reporter Jonathan Low.

The Senegalese midfielder was announced as the Royals' ninth signing the night before their opening league game of the season against Blackpool, though it may have been too late to register him in time for the game at Bloomfield Road at that point.

Loum was also yet to receive his visa - and that problem continued throughout last week with the 25-year-old ineligible to play against Cardiff City this weekend.

Thankfully for the Royals, Tyrese Fornah and Jeff Hendrick both remained fit throughout the 90 minutes, though Dejan Tetek's injury meant they had very little depth in midfield going into that clash against the Bluebirds.

Sam Hutchinson, who looks set to ply his trade in central defence with the Berkshire side, can also operate in this area but the former Sheffield Wednesday man is also out injured at this stage.

This gives manager Paul Ince a dilemma ahead of tonight's game in terms of who to pick, with the likes of Kian Leavy and Claudio Osorio potentially in line to feature.

It was unclear whether Loum would be involved for this midweek fixture but this latest news means he could be a starter this evening as he looks to get some minutes in his legs and force his way past Fornah in the pecking order.

The Verdict:

This is a big boost for the Royals who will probably want to give him the chance to shine tonight in a match situation - and his presence could prevent one of Fornah or Hendrick from needing to be included.

Many of those who started against Cardiff at the weekend need to be rested this evening to reduce the likelihood of injuries, especially with a long trip coming up at the weekend as they travel to Rotherham.

With this, Hendrick simply must not start tonight to give him the best chance of making an impact at the weekend, as someone who can contribute both defensively and going forward.

There's no reason why Joe Lumley, Andy Yiadom, Junior Hoilett, Ovie Ejaria, Tom Ince and Shane Long can't be rested either, with the latter particularly in need of some time out after putting in a good shift against the Bluebirds despite not being fully fit.

With all of these players potentially not starting, some of the youngsters will need to step up to the plate and put in a respectable performance. This game could be vital for these young players in their quest to force their way into Ince's thoughts for the coming weeks and months.