Reading boss Paul Ince has revealed that he would like to keep midfielder Jeff Hendrick, should the club stay in the Championship.

Deducted six points, the Royals are now just one point above the bottom three heading into the final seven matches.

Hendrick, on loan from Newcastle United, has been an ever-present since his summer arrival, a lynchpin in the midfield.

Still under contract at St James' Park until 2024, the Athletic believe that the Republic of Ireland international will be allowed to leave the North-East at the end of the season.

Speaking to the Sporting Post, Ince said: "Ideally he’s one of the players you can keep. He’s based in London, he’s got a family down here. In my life I’ve played with and managed some great players, but to me he is the ultimate pro. He comes in every day and does it right. He’s a great lad, everybody loves him. You know what you’re going to get out of him, seven or eight out of ten every week, he cares about his job.

“Newcastle have gone down a different road and I think Jeff knows that. If we can afford to keep him next year then that’d be great. But I can’t think about next year. I need to think about keeping the team in the Championship, which is going to be tough enough as it is and then we go from there.

“But if anybody asks me what the idea of a perfect professional is, it’s Jeff Hendrick because he’s a super guy. Fingers crossed and everything goes well for us and we manage to stay up, then we’d like to keep hold of him.”