Hahnemann talk of new contract 'mystifies' Reading

Reading's director of football, Nick Hammond, has said the club are in no hurry to offer goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann a fresh contract.

Hahnemann, 35, signed a new deal a year ago taking him to the end of this season, with a one-year option if he is still a regular.

There have been suggestions the American wants to extend his contract but Hammond said: "Marcus and I agreed a new deal less than a year ago, which covers last season and the whole of the current campaign.

"That contract also contains an automatic one-year extension up to the summer of 2009 if Marcus continues to perform regularly in the Premier League, and this is a target he is well towards.

"I believe this is an extremely fair commitment from the club to someone who will be 37 at the end of that contract.

"So I am a little mystified by his recent comments, but of course if he is unhappy I will speak to him. However any further conversations will remain between Marcus and myself."

Meanwhile, Ivar Ingimarsson has been told he can force his way back into the starting XI after his amazing run of consecutive league appearances came to an end.

The 30-year-old Iceland defender featured in 93 league games before sitting out the defeat against Blackburn at Ewood Park, and he was an unused substitute again for the clash against Newcastle at the weekend.

"Every challenge that has been put in front of Ivar, he has achieved it and then gone beyond it," said first-team coach Wally Downes. "So I'm sure the fact that he has not been playing as well as he can recently will be another challenge he will want to conquer.

"And I've got no doubts that he'll come back again, none whatsoever."

Ingimarsson is expected to be in the squad for the clash at Fulham on Saturday when Reading will be looking for their first away win in the Premier League this season.

"Hopefully the away form won't continue in the way it has, because it puts pressure on the home games," said midfielder Stephen Hunt. "At the moment we're producing the goods at home and it is keeping us up the table, out of danger."