Interim Reading FC manager Paul Ince has confirmed that a new goalkeeper will be joining the club before the Royals face Nottingham Forest this weekend.

Arsenal's young Estonian international Karl Hein had been acquired for the remainder of the season in January to provide competition to Luke Southwood, but after suffering an injury to his thumb in an accident at his home, Hein will miss the rest of the campaign.

Southwood has been left without any senior competition between the sticks, with young Coniah Boyce-Clarke taking a place on the bench for Reading's last two matches.

Ince had previously stated that the club would not delve into the free agents market unless something jumped out at them, and at that time no player that suited Ince's needs had come forward.

However there's every chance that the new recruit may not be a free agent but instead an emergency loan, with clubs in the EFL allowed to sign stoppers on a short-term basis under special circumstances.

And per Jonathan Low, Ince has hinted that the new signing could be thrown straight into the starting line-up at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

The Verdict

Ince clearly believes that Southwood needs some competition for the final few months of the season and it appears that he's got his wish.

Southwood's early season performances were impressive and it led to him getting a call-up to the Northern Ireland national side, but mistakes started to creep in and that is why Hein was signed.

With the Estonian now out of the equation, it was important that Ince could find a trustworthy goalkeeper to either play back-up to Southwood or to even throw straight in for a start.

And with Reading losing two matches on the spin, they need to get someone reliable in-between the sticks or else they could end up being caught by one of Derby or Barnsley.