Reading insist they have had no contact from Liverpool over Adam Federici despite reports last week linking the keeper with a £2million move to Anfield.
Royals’ caretaker manager Brian McDermott said that his 24-year-old keeper won’t be affected by the speculation when the two teams meet in an FA Cup third-round replay tonight.
McDermott said: “He’s fine. He spoke to me and said ‘are you going to sell me to Liverpool?’, but I’ve heard nothing.
“He’s a good young goalkeeper and it’s good for our younger players that the big four are looking at them.
“We’ve been blessed here with goalkeepers. We’ve got Ben Hamer, who was player of the year at Brentford last season, Mikkel Andersen, who is doing well at Bristol Rovers and Alex McCarthy at Yeovil.”
McDermott is confident of keeping hold of his first-team squad in the January transfer window.
He added that he had heard nothing from Sheffield United over the availability of Alex Pearce.
Manager Kevin Blackwell sees Pearce as an ideal replacement for Blades star Matthew Kilgallon, who looks set to move to Everton at the end of the season.
After making 11 consecutive appearances for Royals this season, Pearce was dropped by McDermott in favour of Matt Mills for the visit of Liverpool on January 2.
Sources told the Reading Post that United have made an informal enquiry for the 21-year-old, but McDermott refuted any suggestions that Pearce would be sold.
“I’ve heard nothing as far as players in the team are concerned,” claimed McDermott.
“I’m not planning on losing players. Some of the players not quite in the squad right now may go out on loan. I think that’s something we need to look at as we had 26 out there the other day.”
Sir John Madejski has yet to update McDermott on the manager’s situation, but it is widely anticipated that he will be named as Brendan Rodgers’ successor.
McDermott continued: “I’ve literally been told just to look after team affairs. That’s what I’ve been doing and nothing has been said since.
“That’s okay with me. I’m fine with that. Whether that’s okay with the fans I don’t know. I think at some point things will come to a head because they have to. It’s a natural thing.
“I spoke to the chairman on Tuesday and he asked me if it was okay if he could come on the bus on the way home from the Liverpool game.
“And I said chairman you can do what you like. That is not a problem!”
McDermott also rubbished rumours of the team being picked by himself and director of football Nick Hammond, calling it “complete nonsense”.
Finally, director of football Nick Hammond has also rubbished reports that dynamic midfielder Marek Matejovsky is on his way out of Madejski Stadium.
Royals’ caretaker manager Brian McDermott said that his 24-year-old keeper won’t be affected by the speculation when the two teams meet in an FA Cup third-round replay tonight.
McDermott said: “He’s fine. He spoke to me and said ‘are you going to sell me to Liverpool?’, but I’ve heard nothing.
“He’s a good young goalkeeper and it’s good for our younger players that the big four are looking at them.
“We’ve been blessed here with goalkeepers. We’ve got Ben Hamer, who was player of the year at Brentford last season, Mikkel Andersen, who is doing well at Bristol Rovers and Alex McCarthy at Yeovil.”
McDermott is confident of keeping hold of his first-team squad in the January transfer window.
He added that he had heard nothing from Sheffield United over the availability of Alex Pearce.
Manager Kevin Blackwell sees Pearce as an ideal replacement for Blades star Matthew Kilgallon, who looks set to move to Everton at the end of the season.
After making 11 consecutive appearances for Royals this season, Pearce was dropped by McDermott in favour of Matt Mills for the visit of Liverpool on January 2.
Sources told the Reading Post that United have made an informal enquiry for the 21-year-old, but McDermott refuted any suggestions that Pearce would be sold.
“I’ve heard nothing as far as players in the team are concerned,” claimed McDermott.
“I’m not planning on losing players. Some of the players not quite in the squad right now may go out on loan. I think that’s something we need to look at as we had 26 out there the other day.”
Sir John Madejski has yet to update McDermott on the manager’s situation, but it is widely anticipated that he will be named as Brendan Rodgers’ successor.
McDermott continued: “I’ve literally been told just to look after team affairs. That’s what I’ve been doing and nothing has been said since.
“That’s okay with me. I’m fine with that. Whether that’s okay with the fans I don’t know. I think at some point things will come to a head because they have to. It’s a natural thing.
“I spoke to the chairman on Tuesday and he asked me if it was okay if he could come on the bus on the way home from the Liverpool game.
“And I said chairman you can do what you like. That is not a problem!”
McDermott also rubbished rumours of the team being picked by himself and director of football Nick Hammond, calling it “complete nonsense”.
Finally, director of football Nick Hammond has also rubbished reports that dynamic midfielder Marek Matejovsky is on his way out of Madejski Stadium.
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