McDermott tips Le Fondre for England

Reading manager Brian McDermott believes Adam Le Fondre deserves an England call-up.

Le Fondre came off the bench to score two late goals in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea, taking his tally to five goals in his past three Premier League games and 10 for the season.

The 26-year-old’s efficiency has delighted his manager.

“He’s a bit special,” McDermott told the club’s official website.

“To come off the bench and pick up the speed of the game as fast as he did, and those two finishes were from the top drawer. I’ll be watching the second goal 20 times!”

McDermott suggested that the former Rotherham man could even be in line for call-up to a future England squad, should his fine scoring form continue.

“I spoke to Adam when he joined us and said England has to be something you look at it,” he added.

“That’s his goal, he’s one of the top English goalscorers and it’ll be interesting to see. And I’m not selling him! We did his contract recently and I am very, very glad we did.”

Reading have been linked with attacking additions during the January transfer window, with a failed eight-million-pound bid for Blackpool winger Tom Ince last week, and McDermott did not rule out another signing after admitting defeat in acquiring the Liverpool target.

“Thomas Ince won’t be coming here,” he revealed.

“We tried to get him but Blackpool have been very strong and I think he’ll be staying at Blackpool. He’s a wonderful talent.

“There’s possibly one (coming in). It’s 50/50, maybe a little bit against.”

The Berkshire outfit have already added Crawley midfielder Hope Akpan to the squad this month, and McDermott is delighted with the youngster’s impact at the Madejski Stadium after he assisted Le Fondre’s first goal against Chelsea.

“He came on against Chelsea at 21 years old, just out of Crawley,” he said.

“If he’s worked with David Moyes then he has worked with a top manager. He did terrifically well. We paid 300,000 pounds for him – you wouldn’t sign him for 300,000 pounds now.”