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Sky Bet Championship: Summer spending surprises Reading director of football Nick Hammond

Image: Nick Hammond: Reading director of football surprised by summer spending

Reading director of football Nick Hammond has admitted his surprise at the amount of money spent by Sky Bet Championship clubs during the transfer window.

The summer’s biggest deal involving second tier sides saw striker Ross McCormack join Fulham from Leeds United for a free that will reportedly rise to £11million.

Premier League clubs also beat the previous spending record of £630million by some distance as £835million is said to have been paid by top-flight clubs.

"It’s been an incredible window," Hammond told the Reading Post.

"I’ve been doing this many years and I’ve never seen anything like I’ve seen in recent weeks if I’m honest.

"Some of the prices being paid, or certainly being quoted, for players at the top end of the Championship or lower end of the Premier League, has been quite extraordinary.

"I’ve never seen deals at the level that some of them have been at."

Reading boosted their own squad with the permanent additions of Simon Cox, Anton Ferdinand and Oliver Norwood, while Glenn Murray and Jamie Mackie joined on season-long loans.

Adam Le Fondre, Sean Morrison and Alex McCarthy were among the club’s high-profile departures this summer, but Hammond insists a prudent approach was needed in the transfer market.

"From our perspective we have to get back to acting in a sensible fashion," said Hammond.

"Doing the right things and trying to add to the group, but not get involved in a situation where we’re paying extortionate amounts of money, beyond the value of what you believe the player actually brings.

"The financial situation at the club has been well documented. When Adam Le Fondre went out, the club was in dire straits.

"You don’t go from dire straits to being financially very healthy in a short space of time."

Speaking of Alex McCarthy’s move to Queens Park Rangers, Hammond added: "Alex has had an ambition to get back to the Premier League.

"So I think it’s a very good move for him. He’s going to a good club, with good people and geographically it means he doesn’t have to move. It’s a great opportunity."

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