The West Brom defender who chose a summer transfer to Cardiff City over Reading FC

Reading FC manager Paul Ince has admitted he tried to sign West Brom defender Cedric Kipre on loan earlier this summer.

The centre-back, who has fallen out of favour at the Hawthorns, instead signed for Cardiff City, who head to the Select Car Leasing Stadium to take on Royals this Saturday.

Ince confessed he tried extremely hard to lure the 25-year-old to Royals but ultimately, City were able to offer a better financial package.

Kipre, who is one of 13 signings so far by Cardiff boss Steve Morison, is set to line up for the Bluebirds against Reading this weekend.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Ince said seeing the former Paris Saint-Germain youth product move to Wales left 'a horrible taste in the mouth.'

"Cardiff have spent a lot," he said. "We looked at Kipre from West Brom and we thought we were close to getting him. When you’re trying to do deals with clubs, they’ve got you over a barrel. I spent a lot of time with him and his agent but financially we couldn’t compete.

"Then you see him swanning off to Cardiff and it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth as you do all the work, the player wants to come but we’re governed by what West Brom ask the clubs to pay."

He added: "Cardiff have had a go and brought in a lot of players. Sometimes it can work one of two ways and have a different effect, but they’ve brought a lot of quality. Every game will be tough but there isn’t a lot between the teams in the Championship. The first week is always a strange week so it’ll take six or seven weeks to work out what’s what."

Reading have signed one new centre-back this summer in Sam Hutchinson, the former Sheffield Wednesday player on a free transfer after his release by the Owls. Ince is also closing in on the